The Last Step
by ndj35
Summary: What if that little encounter between Rachel and the XO at the end of S2:E2 had gone a little differently? What might have happened next? Rated M for adult content, i.e. smut.
1. In the Face of Death

_Author's note: Okay, so this really was supposed to be a one shot. And it was, for ages, but then I was catching up on season 2 and sort of felt like there was more of a story here… So I've made minor updates to the original story, now Chapter 1, and added a second chapter. Whether there'll be more… Who knows?!_

 _Characters from the Last Ship are not mine, we just hang out occasionally._

 _Thank you for reading and reviewing._

 **Chapter 1 – In the Face of Death**

Mike handed her the precious vial, and as she took it, her hand closed around his. Her lip was trembling, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Doc said get that on ice asap." He said, trying not to betray his own emotions.

"Right," she said, but she didn't move. Just stood there trembling gently, looking up at him, her hand still entwined with his. Something was filtering into the air between them, something he'd never considered until right now.

"Rachel..."

He could have sworn she moved closer, not a whole step, just a subtle shift of her body weight.

He slowly raised the hand that wasn't holding hers, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his thumb grazing her cheekbone. She closed her eyes, and he slid his hand around to cup the back of her neck, his thumb now tracing slow firm circles, soothing the tense muscles at the base of her skull. She let out a soft moan, and it was his turn to move closer, just a little.

A tear leaked out from under her lashes and ran down her cheek. She opened her eyes and looked straight into his.

"Ice." She whispered, gently disengaging her hand from his, cradling the vial. He nodded and stepped back, his hand leaving her neck, and she turned and practically fled.

He stared after her for a long moment.

Three hours later Mike was in his cabin, trying in vain to find a comfortable resting position that didn't aggravate his scrapes and bruises. The knock on the door made him curse, but he pulled a t-shirt on and opened it. It was Rachel.

"What can I do for you Doctor Scott?" He kept his tone neutral.

She stepped forward, over the threshold and into his space, letting the door close behind her.

"You could finish what you started." She looked straight into his eyes, her breathing a little faster than it should be, her chest rising and falling under the thin t-shirt she was wearing.

"Doc- Rachel…" He paused. "After something like today, it's normal to feel the need for a connection, for something…" He trailed off under her intense gaze.

"To make you feel alive?" She asked.

He nodded. "My old CO called it 'fucking in the face of death'." He was deliberately blunt, expecting it to scare her away.

Instead, her breath caught in her throat and she pressed a hand against his chest, outlining the hard muscle through his shirt.

"I really like the sound of that." She whispered.

It was all he could do not to grab her right then, but he had a duty of care.

"It's been a tough few days, you're bound to feel-"

He didn't get a chance to finish as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her, reaching up to kiss his jaw, trying to reach his mouth. He grabbed her wrists and pushed her away slightly.

"We can't do this."

"You don't want to?" Her eyes were wide, her face flushed. She looked so damn desirable.

"Of course I want to, but we have to work together, and besides, I can't be your first choice, can I?" He cursed himself for allowing just a touch of bitterness to creep out.

"Oh yes you are." She breathed. "For this you are absolutely, one hundred percent, my first choice."

"Oh goddammit!" He growled and grabbed her waist, lifting her and slamming her against the door, bringing his mouth down on hers.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing hard against him, as he thrust his tongue into her mouth. He slid a hand under her, holding her ass, keeping her pinned against the door as his other hand roughly fondled her breast through her shirt. She moaned against his mouth, her fingers raking across his muscular back.

It had been such a long time since he'd held a woman in his arms. He feasted on the taste and smell of her, giving himself these few moments of bliss. Then he pulled back, and let her drop back to her feet. She stared up at him in confusion, her lips pink and swollen from kissing.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "I told you, very bad idea."

She stepped close to him, closing the gap he had created. "I promise I'll still respect you in the morning."

He snorted with unexpected laughter and she half smiled. She reached a hand up to touch his face.

"Seriously. I can't remember the last time I was kissed like that, in fact I'm not sure I've ever been kissed like that, and I would really like to do it again. I'm not expecting hearts and flowers and breakfast in bed in the morning, just this."

He felt himself weakening. Just this, just once. Would it really be so dangerous?

She took a sudden step back, eyes locked on his, and in one fluid motion lifted her t-shirt over her head, standing in front of him in a plain black bra that contrasted with the warm ivory of her skin. She reached out and took his hand, placing it on her breast.

"Please touch me again."

It was the ragged edge to her voice that defeated him. His hand tightened on her breast and he stepped forward, wrapping his other arm around her back, bending his head to kiss her and pulling her tight against him. He was done with being controlled and cautious, he was going to let himself have this once.

His strong hands undid her bra and pulled it away from her body, and he dropped to his knees on the bed to kiss and lick her breasts. Her skin was soft under his tongue, and he enjoyed her gasps as he sucked on her nipples in turn. Her fingers ran through his hair, her back arching into his touch.

Kissing her neck and collarbones, he stared to undo her trousers, and she grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it over his head, gasping at both his muscular form and the bruises and grazes covering his chest.

"I don't want to hurt you." She whispered.

"You won't." He replied, kissing her and pulling her close, feeling the softness of her breasts pressing against his bare chest.

He pushed her trousers down, and she half stumbled as she kicked off her shoes and freed the trousers from round her ankles. Wearing only her panties, she pushed him back on the narrow bed and straddled him, her barely covered mound pressing against his hardness through his fatigues. She rubbed herself against him and threw her head back, moaning in frustration as she fumbled with his belt.

"Here," He undid the fastenings with a practiced hand and let her pull them off for him. He lay back and enjoyed the sight of her standing there almost naked as she threw his pants and boxers over her shoulder and stared down at him.

"Take your panties off." He growled.

She swallowed so hard he could see it, her fingers hooking into the sides of her underwear as she pushed them down. He couldn't suppress a groan at the sight of the dark curls between her legs.

"Come here." He held out a hand and she straddled him again, dipping her face down to kiss him as her wet cleft slid along his length. "Not yet." He said through gritted teeth, desperate to lift her hips and thrust up into her. But there was only going to be this once, and he wanted to make the most of it.

He used his superior strength to flip them over, positioning himself above her and kissing her hard and deep. She raised her hips beneath him, trying to regain contact.

"Please..."

"Soon." He slid off the bed, resting on his knees beside it, and pulled her legs onto his shoulders. He drew a finger slowly through the wetness between her thighs and she shuddered and moaned. He used his thumbs to spread her open, and lowered his mouth to her, teasing with his tongue, tasting her as he slid a finger inside her. Her hips bucked and he smirked just a little, enjoying her gasps and moans as he added another finger, thrusting first gently then harder as he sucked and licked at her sweet spot.

"Oh god... Oh god..." She gasped and he felt her spasm around his fingers, glancing up to see that she was squeezing her own breasts, her hips bucking as she rode the wave.

He couldn't hold out any longer. He settled himself over her, kissing her trembling mouth, and slid hilt deep into her in one motion, groaning at the feeling of being enveloped in her tight slippery heat. She cried out, her hands sliding down his back to grip his firm ass as he thrust into her.

He buried his face in her hair as his breathing grew ragged, knowing he was close to the point of no return. He thought for a moment about pulling out, prolonging it, but Rachel tilted her hips, spreading her legs wider.

"Please!" She gasped again.

He kissed her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he thrust hard into her once more and came, pulsing inside her as she shattered around him, her fingers digging into his shoulders so hard he'd have another set of bruises.

Afterwards he lay on the bed and watched her get dressed. She didn't quite meet his eye.

"It's okay," He said. "It doesn't have to change anything."

She shot him a tight smile. "Fucking in the face of death, huh?"

He nodded, and she left, the door closing firmly behind her.


	2. Frustration

_Author's note: Okay, so this really was supposed to be a one shot. And it was, for ages, but then I was catching up on season 2 and sort of felt like there was more of a story here… So I've made minor updates to the original story, now Chapter 1, and added a second chapter. Whether there'll be more… Who knows?!_

 _Characters from the Last Ship are not mine, we just hang out occasionally._

 _Thank you for reading and reviewing._

 **Chapter 2 - Frustration**

It had been a one off. A natural response to a specific situation, almost certainly never to be repeated. The fact that he'd had to remind himself of that at frequent intervals during every day since, well, that was just the price he was willing to pay for having slept with Rachel Scott.

Mike was now reminding himself for at least the twentieth time today, as he watched Rachel passionately arguing with the Captain over their strategy. It didn't help that she was so desirable when she was angry. It also didn't help that he could still vividly recall the way her skin felt under his fingers, the way she tasted on his tongue, and the noises she made when he… Make that the twenty first time.

Rachel was failing to make headway with Tom Chandler, who was sticking firmly with his decision to prioritise tracking the submarine, and after the argument reached its unsatisfactory conclusion, Mike followed her as she stormed out of the room. As soon as they were out of earshot, she turned to him.

"My god! That man is so blinkered and so bloody stubborn!"

Mike tried for the diplomatic answer. "There's a lot of conflicting-"

"Bullshit!" She interrupted. "God, I'm so angry right now! Of all the pigheaded-" She suddenly broke off. "I'm sorry. You're the last person I should be ranting at. I'm sure you've got frustrations of your own."

As she said it, her eyes met his, and somehow that word – _frustrations_ – took on a new meaning as they looked at each other.

He swallowed, and tried to keep his tone matter of fact. "It's a frustrating time." He agreed.

"Very frustrating." She echoed, eyes still locked with his.

Mike could have sworn that the narrow corridor was getting even narrower. It seemed as though he was almost touching her, even though they were standing on opposite sides.

He also could have sworn her hand twitched towards him as she said, "Maybe we should get together and discuss these frustrations?"

It was a one off. It was a one off. It was a- "My cabin? Eighteen hundred?"

She nodded, and left without another word.

By the time the clock ticked around to the appointed time, Mike had almost convinced himself that any innuendo was entirely in his imagination. This was no more than a chance to discuss their current disagreement with Tom Chandler. And the fact that he had shaved and put on a clean t-shirt was just coincidence.

Rachel knocked on the door and he let her in, noting a subtle hint of perfume as she walked past him into the cabin. Her hair hung loose and silky, and she was wearing a tightly fitted t-shirt that emphasised her figure.

He shut the door firmly and turned to face her.

"So, Doctor Scott, you wanted to talk about-"

"I don't want to talk."

She stepped close and wrapped her arms around his neck, and although a tiny part of his brain was still screaming at him about the one off, and the professionalism, and the duty of care, and all of the other perfectly sensible reasons not to do this, the rest of his brain - and the whole of his body - didn't give a fuck about any of that.

He bent his head and kissed her, groaning as she immediately opened her mouth and stroked her tongue against his. His hand found her breast, cupping it in his palm, his thumb circling her nipple through her clothes, and it was her turn to moan.

He grabbed her waist and lifted her, tipping them both onto the bed, landing between her legs without breaking the kiss. He pushed his hips into hers, feeling her gasp into his mouth as she felt how hard he was for her. Hell, he'd been hard for her pretty much constantly since the first time.

"Not arguing with me this time?" She asked, breaking the kiss to pull his t-shirt over his head.

"Haven't you had enough arguments for one day?" He asked, throwing his shirt to the floor and starting on hers.

"Absolutely," She breathed as he dropped her t-shirt and bra over the side of the bed and bent his head to attend to her breasts.

He'd remembered how soft her skin was, but his memories hadn't done justice to how it felt to kiss her breasts, to suck a nipple into his mouth and tease it with his teeth, to feel her fingers in his hair as she moaned softly.

"You like that?" He asked.

"God yes," She gasped and he couldn't resist a slight grin as he gently bit her nipple again before moving to her other breast. Her hips were bucking lightly against his, and he ground into her just a little.

"Stop teasing me," She moaned, and he lifted his head to look up at her flushed face.

"Wouldn't want to add to your frustrations." He replied, kneeling up and undoing her trousers. She raised her hips immediately to enable him to pull them down her legs, and he swallowed at the sight of the tiny lace panties beneath.

She whimpered as he cupped between her thighs, leaning back over her to kiss her again as his fingers started to slowly stroke her through her panties.

"Please, Mike." She whispered against his mouth. "Please..."

There was something about hearing her use his name that made him close his eyes for a moment before he looked into hers, seeing the need there.

"Rachel..." He murmured as he slipped his fingers under the lace fabric and groaned at the feel of her. "You're so wet..."

"It's all for you," She gasped, and he groaned again as he pulled the panties down her legs and dipped his head to kiss her stomach, hearing her whimper again as he trailed his tongue downwards and found her centre.

He'd spent far too much time lately thinking about the taste of her, and it was no disappointment. Nor was the way she arched up as he teased her with the tip of his tongue. He slowly pushed two fingers into her as he lapped at her sweet spot, and her gasps and moans increased in volume until he started to worry about passers-by overhearing.

"Oh god! Oh god!" She half shouted, and then came apart under his tongue, her body bucking almost off the bed. He dropped kisses on her hip and breast as he came back up the bed to see her flushed face and half closed eyes.

"Better?" He murmured, and she nodded. She looked so soft that he wrapped her up in his arms on pure instinct, feeling her relax against him. He stroked a hand slowly over her hair.

"Mmmm." She nestled closer, and he was so lost in the sensation of her warm, soft skin against his bare chest that it took him a second to register that she was undoing his pants. He sucked in a breath as her hand found its way inside and she encircled his hardness with her fingers.

She kissed his chest and pushed him gently back onto the mattress, kneeling up and pulling off his fatigues and boxers.

"My turn." She whispered, with the ghost of a smile, as she straddled his knees and bent her head to take him in her mouth. He groaned as she took his length, circling him with her tongue, her hand working him at the same time.

"Christ, Rachel..."

She tightened her mouth around him and he almost lost it.

"Want to be inside you," He rasped. "Please!"

She released him, and moved up so she was straddling his hips.

"Like this?" She asked, looking straight at him, a half smile on her face.

"Oh yeah." He took hold of her hips and guided her down, enjoying her moan as he filled her, and answering with one of his own.

She started to move on him slowly, and he kept hold of her hips, his hand moving round a little so that he could stroke that hidden spot between her thighs with his thumb. She threw her head back and gasped.

"Yes!"

She was starting to tremble and he lifted his hips and drove up into her, taking control, feeling her shatter just before he let go, spilling himself inside her. She collapsed forward onto his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. She was breathing hard, and he knew he was doing the same.

"Less frustrated now?" He murmured, and he felt her smile against his chest as she nodded.

"Mmm, definitely."

He gently rolled them so they were laying on their sides, face to face, and saw her eyes were closed. Last time, she'd got up immediately, dressing and leaving almost before he'd had the chance to process what had happened. This time she was showing no signs of going anywhere.

As if reading his mind, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. "I'll go in a minute, I just..."

"Take your time, it's okay." He stroked a hand down her side, and she made a noise that was almost a purr. He snickered a little.

"You really are very good at this." She said. "Very, very good."

He tried to suppress a grin, but failed. "You're not so bad yourself."

She traced her fingers over his bare chest. "You're healing."

He nodded. "Barely feel it anymore."

He saw her hesitate before she spoke. "This... Is this okay? I mean us just working off our frustration on occasion?"

"Yeah." He ran his hand down her side again. "It's okay with me."

"I just don't want anything complicated, or romantic, or..."

"Whatever Tex is offering?" He tried not to smirk, but he didn't quite manage it.

She laughed a little. "Oh god, I don't know. Maybe someday I could start thinking about all of those things again - love, relationships... But here, now, with what we're trying to do with the cure - I just can't."

He nodded. "Well Doc, I like you, I respect you, and I can't think of anyone I'd rather work off my frustrations with, but I'm never going to want to date you."

She smiled. "Couldn't have put it better myself."

He sat up and reached for his boxers. "You need to go, or you want to have a shot of rum and talk tactics?"

"Do I need to put clothes on for that?" She asked, rolling onto her back and stretching.

"Not on my account." He replied with a grin.


	3. Apologies

_Author's note: Now I've started, I can't seem to stop. There's just something about these two, unconventional pairing though it may seem…_

 _On a practical note, I'm not quite sure exactly where this fits in the season 2 timeline, so maybe don't think about that too hard! Also, I may have taken some liberties with regards to the living quarters of an XO, but if it serves the tale…_

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. I think we can safely say there will be more chapters to come._

 **Chapter 3 – Apologies**

"Sir?"

It was a little after midnight when Mike looked up to see Bacon standing in the doorway, looking uncomfortable.

"Cowley?"

"Sir, it's Doctor Scott. She's, ah, I think she's a little upset, and maybe she's got a hold of some of the hooch that, er…"

"Where is she?" Mike was already on his feet.

"She's not far from the mess hall, sir. I don't think anyone else has seen her yet. I asked her if I could help her to her cabin but she wouldn't get up, and I didn't think it was right to lay a hand on her."

Mike cursed under his breath. "Take me to her."

Rachel had definitely got a hold of something, because she was slumped against the corridor wall, mumbling and crying a little. He crouched down to look at her, taking her face in his hand. "Doctor Scott, what have you been drinking?"

She didn't answer, but he could smell the alcohol on her breath.

Bacon was still hovering awkwardly behind them, and Mike knew he had to get Rachel out of here before anyone else saw the state she was in.

"Cowley, help me get her to my cabin, it's closer. I'll keep an eye on her while she sleeps it off."

Bacon nodded and between them they supported Rachel to the cabin. Thankfully they didn't encounter anyone else on the way, and Rachel didn't make any effort to resist as Mike laid her down on his bed.

"You're not going to tell anyone about this, are you Cowley?" He asked, his tone more of an order than a question.

"No, sir." Bacon replied, leaving with obvious relief.

Mike shut the door behind him and then bent down to look at Rachel. She was semi-conscious, slurring something softly, her eyes almost closed.

"Rachel?" He took her wrist to check her pulse rate, but she grabbed his hand with a surprisingly strong grip, and opened her eyes.

"They killed my friend." She said clearly, staring right at him. "They shot him in the head."

He nodded. "I know, I'm sorry."

"Oh god," She said, lurching upright. "I'm going to-" She clapped a hand over her mouth as she heaved, and he managed to grab the metal waste bin and get it in front of her before she was violently sick.

Somehow Mike managed to hold the bin in one hand and her forehead with the other as she retched. When it seemed she was finally done, he allowed her to slump back onto the bed.

Still keeping one eye on her as he moved to the bathroom, he emptied the bin down the toilet, noting that there was no evidence she'd consumed anything but booze. No wonder she was in such a state.

Grateful for a strong stomach of his own, and years of experience dealing with seasick new recruits – not to mention the occasional ill-advised drunken episode among the crew – he bent over Rachel and checked her breathing. She seemed to be asleep rather than unconscious, and he arranged her limbs into an approximation of the recovery position before dropping into a chair and running his hand over his face. Thank God no one but himself and Cowley had seen her like this. She had the crew's respect, and with the work she was doing she needed it, and an incident like this had the potential to undermine that.

He started off watching her, but he must have fallen asleep because the next thing Mike was aware of was a female voice whispering his name. He opened his eyes to see Rachel half sitting up on the bed, her face pale but her eyes much more lucid.

He jumped to his feet. "You okay there, Doc?"

"Aside from a banging headache and extreme embarrassment, yes I'm fine." She couldn't quite meet his eye as she added, "I am so sorry."

He shrugged. "Happens to the best of us from time to time." He filled a glass with water and handed it to her. "Drink this, it'll help."

"Was I sick on you?" She muttered, still not meeting his eye as she sipped the water.

"Near me." He replied, his lips twitching. It hadn't been funny at the time, but somehow now it was starting to be.

She clapped a hand to her head. "Oh god, I'm so sorry. I hadn't eaten all day, and I was feeling overwhelmed, and I thought I would have a couple of drinks to help me sleep, but it was stronger than I thought, and then…" She buried her face in her hand, her voice muffled as she repeated, "I am so sorry."

"You said that already." He sat down next to her on the bed, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Nobody else saw anything. Nobody else knows anything. It's alright."

She looked up at him. "I'm sorry I took over your bed."

He bit back the first response that came to mind and settled on something neutral, "It's okay." He squeezed her shoulder. "How about I leave you to get cleaned up? Help yourself to whatever."

She managed a small smile. "You're a gentleman."

"Something like that." He stood and stretched. "I'm going to go make my rounds, check nothing happened overnight."

"Thank you Mike." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I mean it, you really are a gentleman."

It wasn't quite the word he would have used as he looked down at her on his bed. Not with the thoughts that were racing through his mind. Well, more memories really. He shook his head, gave her his most formal smile, and left the cabin.

He deliberately took his time making his rounds of the ship, stopping to conduct checks on various areas, and engaging in brief discussions with a number of the crew. By the time he finally made it back to his cabin, he imagined Rachel would be safely back in her lab where she belonged.

He was wrong. She was asleep, in his bed, and by the looks of it, she was naked. The cabin no longer smelt of alcohol and vomit, and as he approached the bed he could see her hair was damp and smell a hint of soap. It looked as though she'd changed the blankets and tidied up, and he wasn't sure whether to smirk or sigh.

"Doctor Scott? Rachel?" He murmured, but she didn't stir.

He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and winced slightly. There was clear evidence of his uncomfortable night in the form of 5 o'clock shadow and rumpled uniform. He glanced at Rachel again, and decided it couldn't do any harm to let her sleep while he cleaned himself up.

The shower floor was still wet, and he spotted a few long dark hairs near the drain. He fought hard against the mental image of her washing herself down in his shower, but he couldn't quite get it out of his head as he showered himself. While he shaved, he decided that if she was still asleep when he emerged from the tiny bathroom, he would wake her up and politely invite her to head back to her own quarters.

In the event, she was wide awake, and the way her eyes widened and her lips parted when she saw him wearing only a towel put paid to his plans of brusque politeness.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, trying not to look at the way the tops of her breasts were visible above the blankets.

"Much better, thank you. I think I managed to restore your cabin to order, but tell me if there's anything else I can do to apologise."

It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn the blankets were slipping lower still. He cleared his throat. "I told you, Doc, no apology necessary. But thank you for cleaning up."

"You must be tired after watching over me all night," She sat up a little more, and this time the blankets definitely moved. "You could always come and lie down for a while."

"Rachel…" He didn't finish the sentence, because he didn't know what to say. The sensible, measured part of him knew that he should politely eject her from his cabin, but the part of him that vividly remembered the two recent occasions on which they'd been naked in this cabin before wanted to climb into the bed and let her apologise in all sorts of non-traditional ways.

"Unless seeing me puke has put you off for life." Her laugh was a little forced.

He shook his head. "If that was the case, I'd be unable to look at half the crew on this ship. It's fine. After everything we've been through lately, you deserved to let off some steam."

"I prefer the other way we let off steam." She shifted under the blankets and a long bare leg emerged.

He swallowed. "I'm just not sure it's a-" The words died as she sat up and let the blankets drop to her waist.

"I thought we got past you arguing with me about this?"

He honestly didn't know how she did it. Every time he started out making the sensible decision, and every time she won him over. Okay, this time it was a little more brazen, but still.

"I will apologise in any way you like." She continued. "We can even argue if you really want to. But I am in your bed, and already undressed, so why waste the opportunity?"

He shook his head and laughed reluctantly. "You're something, you know that?"

She threw back the blankets then, and he surrendered.

As he slid into the bed beside her and wrapped her in his arms, he realised they'd never actually been under the blankets together before. There was something strangely intimate about being in the bed with her, especially with both of them still damp haired from the shower. He leaned in and kissed her slowly, tasting his own toothpaste in her mouth. She pressed tight against him and deepened the kiss, and he felt her hands running over his back.

He didn't know why, but somehow it was on the verge of being too much. The smell of her damp hair, the taste of toothpaste, the feel of her soft bare body laying against his. He felt almost angry as he pulled back for a second.

"Mike?" Rachel touched his face. "What is it?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

He kissed her again, but more roughly this time, tugging her lower lip with his teeth to open her mouth, his hand feeling for her breast. She responded in kind, moaning into his mouth as she pushed him onto his back and straddled his waist.

This was better, the strange intimacy gone and forgotten as they ate at each other's mouths. He reached between her legs and started to stroke her, feeling her wet against his fingers, hearing her gasp as he found her sweet spot with his thumb.

She lifted her hips and made to sink down into him, but he grabbed her waist and stopped her.

"If you're doing the apologising, then I'm setting the pace."

She raised an eyebrow, "Oh really?"

"Really." He lifted her off of his lap and knelt up, kissing her again. "Turn around."

She bit her lip and complied, and he kissed the back of her neck, running his hand down her spine. He gently pushed her knees apart with his, so that she was straddling his lap, her back against his chest. He held her hips and guided himself inside her, pushing slowly, opening her as she moaned and let her head drop back on his shoulder.

"Okay?" He murmured, struggling to keep his voice steady at the feel of her.

She nodded slightly and moaned again as he pulled out a little and thrust back in, keeping it slow, feeling her muscles flex around him as he buried himself deep inside her.

"Please…" She murmured, and he felt her hand on his and couldn't help a slight grin as she guided his fingers between her legs.

He stroked between her thighs as he pushed deep into her, and she cried out so loudly he had to clap his other hand over her mouth. He could feel her shuddering around him, and drove into her a little harder, allowing himself to surrender to the feeling of her tight heat around him, her wetness on his fingers, the sounds she was making against his hand, and before he knew it he was taking her hard and fast and she'd fallen forward onto her hands so he could thrust even deeper, and then he was coming hard inside her, feeling her squeezing tight around him as she keened her own pleasure into the pillow to muffle the sound.

He collapsed beside her, breathing hard, and she turned her face from the pillow to look at him.

"Apology accepted?" She panted, and he sputtered with unexpected laughter.

"Yeah, you're forgiven."


	4. Bedfellows

_Author's note: This is definitely heading in a direction I didn't expect when I started, but it seems like people are on board…! Unlike my novel-length Chuck fic (check it out if you like), where I knew what the ending was going to be from pretty early on, I honestly have no idea with this at the moment…_

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 **Chapter 4 – Bedfellows**

Mike stroked his hand slowly over Rachel's back. She'd fallen asleep after a particularly vigorous afternoon bout of 'letting off steam' and he hadn't had it in him to wake her too soon. She'd been working so intensely in the lab that he was almost relieved to see her rest; the work she was doing was too vital to allow her to risk burnout. So he'd dressed and tried to catch up on some paperwork while she slept for a while.

She stirred at his touch, opening her eyes.

"Sorry," She murmured. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's okay. You were tired."

"More like satisfied." She shot him a naughty little smile and stretched.

He smiled despite himself. "And that."

She sat up and reached for her underwear. "I'd better get back to the lab."

He nodded. "I've been away from the bridge longer than I should have been."

She pulled on her tshirt and trousers. "I'll see you later?"

"No doubt."

She reached up and kissed him on the mouth before leaving the cabin.

Really, he thought, as he made his way back towards the bridge, it was extraordinary that no one had noticed what was going on. In the close confines of the ship, managing to keep their unique friendship under wraps was nothing short of a miracle. The first couple of times, sure, but over the last week they'd barely gone a day without grabbing some time in his cabin together, and although he was getting adept at knowing the point at which to clap his hand over Rachel's mouth before she cried out too loudly, he knew it would only be a matter of time before someone heard or saw the wrong thing. The only sensible course of action was to call a halt to it, but somehow the second Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his, all sensible thought flew out of the window.

Of course, it was also possible that the reason no one had worked it out was the sheer unlikelihood of Rachel choosing him to work off her frustration with. After all, everyone knew how Tex felt about her, and Mike had known Tom Chandler long enough to recognise that the Captain had some feelings towards her as well - not that he would act on them. No one would ever guess it was the XO who was spending indecent amounts of time with his head buried between the doctor's thighs.

At 2am he was paying the price for the stolen hours with Rachel in the form of a ton of unread and unfiled reports, when there was a soft and familiar knock on his door, which opened to reveal the woman herself.

"Doctor Scott." He greeted her formally, for the benefit of anyone who might be passing.

"Commander." She replied, closing the door with a smile. "There's no one about, I checked."

"You look tired." And she did, dark circles under her eyes and a pallor to her skin.

"I couldn't sleep. My head is churning. I was hoping you might be able to help me turn it off." She ran a hand over the hard muscle of his chest.

He fought his desire as he looked down at her. "Rachel, it's not that I don't want to, but-" He gestured at the overflowing desk. "All this has to get done by morning."

"I can wait?" She asked. "I promise not to distract you."

He snorted a little. "You can try."

She walked over to the bed and took off her shoes. "I'll sit here quiet as a mouse." She shucked off her trousers and lay down on the bed in just her panties and tshirt.

"Godammit." He growled. "You'll be the death of my career, woman, if not the rest of me."

She smirked a little. "How about I promise to be quick instead?"

He chuckled reluctantly and stepped over to the bed. "Fine." Still fully dressed, he lay down beside her and kissed her briefly. "Quick is what you get."

Rolling her onto her back, he reached a hand inside her panties and groaned when he felt how wet she was.

"I tried to relax myself." She murmured in explanation, "But it just isn't the same."

As he kissed her, he tried not to register the strange swell of pride and possessiveness that her words had caused. He stroked her sweet spot gently, feeling her gasp into his mouth, and as he circled his thumb and slid a finger inside her, he could already feel her start to tremble.

"Let go..." He murmured, pressing a little harder, and she arched and moaned and came on his fingers.

Her eyes were half closed as he kissed her once more. She reached for his fly, but he softly brushed her hand away.

"Relax." He muttered, though he was sorely tempted. He was expecting argument, and would probably have given in, but instead he got silence and looked down to see Rachel was asleep. He eased himself off the bed and hesitated. He should wake her up and send her back to her quarters, but just like earlier that day, he couldn't quite bring himself to do it.

Turning his back on the bed and the woman curled up on it, he tried to focus on the outstanding reports, but after a while his own eyes started closing. He was reading the same sentences over and over and taking nothing in. With a sigh, he organised the papers into neat piles and took off his boots and pants. Rachel was still fast asleep, and he paused for a long moment as he looked down at her. Then he grabbed a spare blanket and lay down beside her, spreading the blanket over them both. The bed was too small for him to lay without touching her, but as he closed his eyes he was trying his best.

Two hours later, he woke up holding her. Her head was resting on his shoulder, her hand on his chest, and his arms were tightly wrapped around her. He clenched his jaw and untangled himself, turning his back to her and resting right on the edge of the bed.

Two hours after that, he woke up cradling her from behind, her hands holding his arms where they were wrapped around her middle. He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath, allowing himself for just a moment to enjoy the sensation of Rachel's warm soft body in his arms. A few minutes couldn't really hurt. Not really.

He must have fallen asleep again, because when he woke up the third time, Rachel was no longer in the bed. He sat up, and heard the shower running. Rubbing his face, he made his way to the bathroom and opened the door, steam rolling out. Rachel turned and he swallowed at the sight of her body running with water.

"Morning." He managed, feeling that unwelcome pang of intimacy again.

"Morning." She was biting her lip, and he suddenly wondered if she was as in control of all this as she seemed.

There could, maybe should, have been a conversation right about now. But instead Mike shed his boxers and tshirt, stepped into the shower and took Rachel in his arms, kissing her hungrily and pressing her wet, naked body against the wall. He palmed her breast and she moaned into his mouth. Without preamble, he grabbed her waist and lifted her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist as he pushed inside her. He groaned at the feeling of her opening around him, and she cried out, the noise muffled by the water thrumming down around them, and his mouth covering hers for another kiss.

He thrust into her roughly, the thoughts crowding his head being driven out by the feeling of her heels digging into the small of his back, her inner muscles squeezing him, her breasts pressed against his chest. It was reassuringly fast and hungry, but then when she clenched around him and came, instead of her usual babbled curses and affirmations, she shouted out his name. It should have been a warning sign, but in reality the sound of it made him thrust up hard inside her to his own climax.

He slowly lowered her back to the floor, and she reached out and shut off the water. They stared at each other, his hands still resting on her waist.

"You were holding me!" She blurted, then turned crimson and looked away in embarrassment.

"You slept here." He replied, though it wasn't really an answer.

"I like it here." She muttered, still not looking at him.

"Rachel..." He groped for an explanation. "We're friends, right? I mean, apart from- I mean- Ah, fuck it!" He shook his head and tried again. "We're helping each other get through, that's what we're doing. So you know what? If you need to be here to get some sleep so you can progress your work, then that's fine."

She nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what it is. I'm sure once I've solved this problem of the aerosolisation, I'll be perfectly able to get a good night's sleep in my own quarters." She shot him a relieved smile.

"Absolutely." He agreed and, with an internal sigh, filed away yet another unwelcome and confusing thought in respect of his relationship with Doctor Rachel Scott.


	5. A River in Egypt

_Author's note: Well they're both intelligent people, they had to work it out eventually…_

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting, and for not shouting at me about just how strange this pairing is! I'm writing at a crazy pace right now, but these two have me intrigued!_

 **Chapter 5 – A River in Egypt**

It became such an established pattern that she stopped knocking. At some point each night Mike would just wake up to find Rachel climbing into his bed. At first, they'd fallen asleep back to back, but as they always woke in the morning curled around each other, after a couple of nights he'd just started opening his arms when she pulled back the blankets, and she would align her back with his chest, holding one of his hands in hers as he wrapped himself around her.

He told himself firmly that this was nothing but an extension of their mutual stress relief. She needed to sleep in order to be able to work, and if the only way she could sleep was in his arms, well then that was what he had to do for the good of everyone. The only problem with that theory was how much he liked the smell of her hair and the feel of her skin against his, and the little noises she made in her sleep. And how badly he slept until she appeared and slipped into his embrace.

He wasn't good at talking about feelings. That was one of the reasons his wife had cited when they were heading towards the end of their relationship. _You don't communicate._ And that was the other problem. Despite knowing that if the world hadn't gone to hell in a handbasket, he and Christine would almost certainly be divorced by now, there was still a part of him that was feeling guilty. The same part that was increasingly feeling something for Rachel.

He turned his head and looked at her sleeping next to him. He had woken wrapped around her as usual, but rolled away as he realised he wasn't getting back to sleep. Her face was still a little flushed, her hair tangled on the pillow, and she mumbled a little as she shifted position.

"Mike?" Her eyes were still closed, her voice slurred with sleep.

"I'm here." He answered automatically, and she reached out, rolling back into his arms and nestling her head into his shoulder, and making him feel even more confused.

After spending all day with only half his mind on the job, he sat and waited up for her. She let herself in quietly without knocking, but jumped a little when she saw him propped on the edge of the desk instead of asleep in bed.

"Are you okay? Paperwork again?" The smile faded from her face as she took in his expression.

"I think we should talk." He began, sticking to the script he'd been running over in his head. "About… this."

"Okay…" She sat down on the edge of the bed, and started taking off her shoes.

"Stop." He said quietly. "Please."

She let her hands fall and sat up straight. "Right. Not the old argument, then?"

He shook his head. "Rachel, when this started – I don't mean after Baltimore, I mean when we talked about working off our frustrations – you said you didn't want anything complicated."

She nodded slowly. "That's right."

"But now you share my bed every night. And I…" He took a deep breath. "I feel like that's getting complicated. The way I feel about you is complicated."

Her expression was hard to read as she asked. "How do you feel?"

"I like you. I respect you." He gritted his teeth a little. "And I care about you."

"Well yes, I feel that way about you too. We're friends." She stood up and took a step towards him. "And that's okay, isn't it?"

"Not when… I like having you in my bed. I like holding you. I like being close to you."

"I like that too." She said quietly.

"This is more than friendship." He said.

"But it's not a relationship." She countered.

He shook his head. "The way things are now, what does a relationship look like? If anyone knew what was going on, what would they call it? Other than a damn good reason to kick me off this ship."

She bit her lip. "I don't know if I can cope without this." She whispered.

"Come here." He opened his arms and she stepped into them, and he held her. "You see," He said into her hair, "This is what I'm talking about."

She nodded into his chest, then looked up at him. "Maybe you're just my best friend?"

He found himself chuckling slightly. "Sounds like a hail mary to me."

She snorted with a sad kind of laugh. "What do you want to do?"

"Honestly?" He asked, and she nodded. "I can't decide between kicking you out of here, and asking you to dinner."

"Dinner?" She laughed incredulously.

He shrugged. "I don't know. It's a long time since I thought about dating anyone."

"You said you were never going to want to date me." She reminded him.

"I might have been wrong."

She laughed again, and this time her tone was tinged with disbelief. "It's the end of the world, we're fighting a war against a deadly disease and a group of insane fundamentalists, almost everyone we know is dead or missing, and yet what the human race still comes down to is a man and a woman trying to define their relationship."

"Maybe that's the point?" He offered slowly.

She looked up at him. "Maybe." She conceded.

There was a moment of silence, but it was strangely comfortable.

"Are you going to kick me out?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No. Don't think so."

"Can we go to bed then?" Her tone was still a little apprehensive.

"Yeah." He pulled her close again and took her face in his hands, bending his head to kiss her.

After their conversation, the intimacy bothered him less. He could almost allow himself to enjoy it. The guilt… Well, the guilt would have to be dealt with another day. He kissed Rachel deeply, exploring her mouth with his tongue as she pressed close against him. He worked a hand in between them and started undoing her shirt, and she whimpered into his mouth as he ran his fingers over her skin.

She tugged at the hem of his tshirt and he pulled back for just long enough to pull it over his head before wrapping his arms around her and kissing her again as he undid her bra. There was something about feeling the softness of her breasts pressed against his chest that drove him crazy, and he cupped one in his palm and teased her nipple with his thumb, enjoying the moan it elicited from her.

She was undoing his pants now, and he groaned as her hand wrapped around his hardness. Then she dropped to her knees and he nearly lost it altogether as she took him in her mouth.

"Christ, Rachel," he gasped as he tried not to clench his fingers too hard in her hair. She ran her tongue slowly over him, then took him deep and sucked him hard. His hips moved involuntarily as he gritted his teeth so as not to cry out, her warm mouth driving all thoughts out of his head except one.

"Get on the bed," He rasped, gently pulling away.

She looked up at him, and he saw her eyes widen before she stood and quickly took off her trousers and underwear. He let his own pants and boxers drop to his ankles and toed off his socks, stepping out of the pile of clothes and laying her down on the bed.

He grabbed her hands and held them on the pillow above her head, meeting her eyes as he slowly pushed inside her. He normally closed his eyes, or buried his face in her hair, but this time he looked right at her, seeing her mouth open slightly as he started to move with a slow, measured rhythm.

It was almost too much, but at the same time it was what he wanted, and judging by the way she bit her lip but kept eye contact, Rachel wanted it too. Still pinning her wrists with one hand, he moved the other to her hip, stroking across her skin as he found room between their bodies so he could circle his thumb on her sweet spot as he continued to thrust deep and slow inside her.

"Oh god," She gasped, moving with him, her eyes full of need. He groaned and moved faster, dropping his head to kiss her as she started to tremble around him. Then he felt the moment that she exploded, her head tipping back and her voice a little hoarse as she shouted, "Mike!"

He groaned and let go, his eyes closing involuntarily as he spilled himself inside her, her name coming out as a strangled gasp. For a moment it was overwhelming – the feel of her, the softness of her skin, the scent of her hair, her hands escaping from his loosened hold and stroking over his shoulders instead.

He dropped onto his back, still breathing hard, and felt her curl up against his side, her head finding its way onto his chest. He wrapped an arm around her, and raised his head a little to look at her. Her eyes were still wide, and her smile was just a little tentative as she looked up at him. Without thinking about it, he kissed her forehead, and she laughed gently.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." She cuddled closer and he closed his eyes for a moment, his breathing slowing. He felt her trying to pull the blanket from underneath them, and lifted himself slightly to help. Where once being close under the covers had made him uncomfortable, now it was doing the opposite.

"Don't go anywhere," He murmured, and felt her shake her head. Then she dropped a kiss on his shoulder and it sent an unexpected pang through his chest that almost hurt.


	6. Stars

_Author's note: This is kind of an interlude really, but after I started writing the next chapter, I decided I wanted to see this happen instead of hearing about it, so here you go…_

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting, especially the lovely readers who are reviewing every chapter and helping to drive me on with this unexpected story!_

 **Chapter 6 – Stars**

They were sheltered in a secluded spot on one of the upper decks, because Rachel was craving fresh air, and Mike had secured some bootleg whiskey that he wasn't intending to share with anyone but her.

"Where did this even come from?" She asked as she sipped appreciatively.

"Don't ask," He took the mug from her and took a sip himself. "But if it had been a member of the US Navy I would have had to punish them, so you can probably guess on that basis."

She laughed a little as he handed the mug back. "Ah yes, Tex certainly has some talents."

"Oh really?" He tried to keep his tone neutral, but realised he may not have succeeded when she rolled her eyes.

"Are you looking for reassurance here?"

"No ma'am." He shrugged. "It's all the same to me."

"Fair enough. I won't tell you about the time he kissed me then." She tried to hide her smile behind the mug, but he grabbed it from her.

"He kissed you?!"

She laughed. "In Baltimore, before we realised what was going on. When he was leaving. It was a kiss goodbye."

"And?" He took a gulp of whiskey and tried to swallow down his jealousy along with the liquor.

"And I'm sleeping with you. So what does that tell you?" She took the mug again.

"So you've kissed Tom, and Tex… Anyone else? Cowley had a piece of the action?" He was starting to find it funny now.

She snorted. "I didn't really kiss Tom, you know that perfectly well! And Tex kissed me, not the other way around. The only person I've kissed is you."

He took a quick glance around to check they really were unseen, then stepped forward and planted a quick kiss on her mouth. "Same here, Doc."

"Good." She was hiding her smile behind the mug again, but he was wise to that trick.

"Now who's after reassurance?"

She shrugged and mimicked him, "It's all the same to me."

He laughed, and held out his hand for the mug. As she passed it to him, he deliberately brushed her fingers with his, and she smiled and caught his fingertips for a second.

"This is bizarre, isn't it?" She asked, looking out to sea in the darkness. "The whole world is dying around us, and we're trying to save it, and yet in the midst of all that, I can still take a moment like this and feel happy."

She leaned on the rail and he moved behind her, his body just touching hers as he handed her the mug and then rested his hands on the rail either side of her. She shifted her weight back against him, just a little.

"Do you think about it?" She asked. "What's going on out there? People you knew…" She paused. "Your family?"

He felt that familiar stab of guilt. "I decided to stay on the ship, so I put my focus here. Doesn't mean I don't think about my family, I think about the girls all the time." He swallowed. "And my boy. But not when I'm working."

"And your wife?" He heard the hesitation in her tone.

He took a breath and shook his head. "Just because it's over doesn't mean I don't care about her. I want to believe she's safe, keeping my girls safe, but the truth is none of us can know what's happening out there. That's why we have to focus on what we're doing here."

She turned, still bracketed by his hands on the rail. Her face was so close to his that he could see the flecks of green in her eyes.

"I'm going to do it, you know." She whispered. "I am going to find a way to spread the cure and save everyone. Whatever I have to do."

"I know. I've seen what you already achieved. I believe you'll do it. We all do."

She leaned in to kiss him, sliding her hand into the back pocket of his pants. He gently tugged her bottom lip with his teeth and she opened her mouth obligingly so that he could caress her tongue with his. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and really go to town, but it was too damn risky out here. Then he had an idea and smirked into her mouth.

"What is it?" She pulled back just slightly.

He put his hands on her waist and turned her so she was facing the rail. "If anyone asks, I'm giving you a lesson in navigating by the stars." He stepped close behind her again, one hand on the rail, but the other reaching for her breast. She pressed back against him as he caressed her through her sweater.

"So this is one of my favourite stars," He murmured in her ear. "But my very favourite is further south." He ran his hand down her body and between her legs, pressing lightly at the junction of her thighs and hearing her gasp softly. He manipulated the seam of her jeans with his fingers, rolling it back and forth over her centre. "Can you stay quiet?" He asked, and she nodded, her lips pressed together.

He moved his fingers a little faster and felt her hand close over his on the rail, her fingers squeezing his almost painfully hard as she fought not to make a sound. He took a calculated risk and eased down the zipper of her jeans, sliding his fingers inside and around the edge of her panties so that he could touch her bare flesh. She let out a tiny squeak, but swallowed it down, and he had to clench his jaw to contain a sound of his own when he felt her wetness coat his fingers. He stroked her sweet spot and felt her shiver from head to toe. She gasped in a breath and he paused for a second.

"Shh, sweetheart," He knew he ought to stop, but the risk was almost as much of a turn on as the feel of her trembling against him, and the slickness of her core against his fingers. Instead he took his hand from the rail and placed it over her mouth.

"Bite me if you have to," He whispered, "Just don't shout out." He started to stroke her again, and it wasn't long before she convulsed against him, her head tipping back onto his chest and her moan muffled against his hand.

He slowly took his hand from her mouth, and withdrew the other from her jeans, doing up her zipper. She turned around and leaned back against the rail. Her face was flushed, and her breathing unsteady. She shot him that naughty little smile.

"Navigating by the stars?"

"Useful skill." He replied straight-faced.

She laughed and shook her head. "If only there was something I could teach you out here…"

"You think of something, you come find me." He grinned.

She bit her lip and slowly reached out and took his hand. "How about I buy you dinner instead?" Her voice was just a little hesitant.

"Doc, are you asking me on a date?" He asked carefully, as he closed his fingers around hers.

She looked up at him, her face even pinker than it had been a moment ago. "Well apart from the fact that there are no restaurants and no money, and no privacy… Yes, I suppose I am."

He looked down at their joined hands. "Well okay then. Let's work something out."


	7. Dinner for Two

_Author's note: This is sort of linking back into the season 2 timeline, but as I've said before, maybe try not to think about it too deeply!_

 _I remain eternally grateful for the scary number of readers, the lovely reviewers, and all those who have followed and favourited._

 _Probably timely to reiterate that I don't own any of the characters from the Last Ship, we just hang out once in a while._

 **Chapter 7 – Dinner for Two**

She was wearing a skirt. That was the first thing Mike noticed when he walked into the tiny room. The second thing he noticed was the table laid with dinner for two, which was a mystery that would need explaining once he was done admiring the skirt, which was straight and khaki and finished just above the knee, but was still most definitely a skirt.

"Doctor Scott." He greeted her, closing the door behind him. "Nice skirt. Very nice skirt."

She blushed just a little and inclined her head. "Commander. Nice uniform."

"Thought we were keeping this undercover. Can't be seen wandering the p-ways in a suit."

"You have a suit on board?" She asked in surprise.

"Well, no." He conceded. "But if I'd known this was going to happen, I might have brought one."

"The uniform is just fine. I'm quite fond of those tight t-shirts by now." She shot him one of those naughty little smiles.

He hesitated, but then said it anyway. "Can you come here a minute?"

She stepped closer, looking just a little puzzled, and he pulled her into his arms. Resting his chin on the top of her head he took a long breath, allowing some of the tension to leave his body. Her arms tightened around him and he felt her release a breath of her own.

He closed his eyes for a second then straightened and made to step back. "Sorry, Doc-" He started, but Rachel interrupted.

"No apology necessary. It's been a strange few days." Her hands were still resting lightly on his waist, and he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "Mmmm." She smiled as he let her go. "I've-" She stopped abruptly.

"What?"

"Nothing, no. I just-" She took a breath and looked up at him. "I missed doing that."

He nodded and there was a moment of stillness.

"We should eat!" She exclaimed. "I've already failed to eat Bacon's special presidential dinner once, I can't sacrifice it again!"

He chuckled and held her chair for her as she sat down before taking his own seat opposite her.

"So Cowley is your partner in crime?" He asked.

She nodded. "I told him I'd never had the chance to thank you for looking after me when I was... overwrought… that night. I said that on land I would have bought a friend dinner as a thank you, and he volunteered to help me do the same here. And as we haven't seen each other properly for a couple of days, and with everything that's happened, I though perhaps tonight would be the right opportunity." Her voice was a little uneven.

"I wanted to be the one to tell you about Niels." He said softly. "But Tex beat me to it."

"Yes, we acquired a mass murderer and a President in a single day. Big week for the Nathan James." Her tone was somewhere between bitter and angry.

"I don't love it either." He replied bluntly. "But we are where we are. Got to make the best of it, try to turn it to our advantage."

She nodded slowly, and then visibly shook it off. "Anyway! I asked you out for dinner, not to rant and rave about the state of the world."

He shot her a grin. "So this is a date, huh?"

"Something like that. Given the obvious limitations." She glanced around.

"Did anyone tell you what this room is usually used for?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Now I'm afraid to ask."

"Keeping people in isolation before they're interrogated. Sometimes for the actual interrogation, if we're short on space."

She snorted with laughter. "No wonder Bacon was reluctant to tell me!"

He met her eyes and smiled. "Don't worry, it works." He forked up a mouthful of food. "And Cowley obviously pulled out all the stops for you."

She nodded, taking a mouthful of her own. "This is really good."

"He's one of the best."

"I just hope he's as good at discretion as he is at cooking." She said.

"I think we're safe." He replied, but then sighed internally as he added, "Though it's probably only a matter of time before someone sees or hears something they shouldn't."

"Like you teaching me how to navigate by the stars?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Or you shouting my name so loud it echoes throughout the ship." He retorted.

She stared at him for a moment and then started to laugh. "We've gone about this completely backwards, haven't we?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well normally things start with dinner and then progress to the… Navigation part."

"Think you're referring to the pre-apocalypse rules." He suggested. "Besides, until you jumped on me I had no idea you were even slightly interested."

"I did not jump on you!" She said, her voice rising. "If anything, you jumped on me!"

"As I recall, you came to my cabin and took your shirt off." He was smirking now, and she conceded with a laugh.

"Okay, but you started it. You know you did."

"I did not. I behaved professionally towards you at all times. Made sure of it." He thought back and confirmed his own statement with a nod.

"What does that mean? Made sure of it?"

He cursed himself for letting that slip. "Rachel, I've got eyes. You're a beautiful woman. I noticed."

"But you hated me." Her eyes narrowed. "I mean, you really hated me."

He finished his mouthful before replying. "I did not hate you. I didn't trust you an inch, that's not the same thing."

"So when did that change?" She asked slowly, laying down her fork.

"You proved yourself, you know that. Took time for all of us to start trusting you."

"But when did you?" There was something intent in her tone that made him consider the question more carefully before answering.

"When you volunteered to go over to the Russian ship. That took guts. That's when I realised we could really trust you." He paused. "And when you told me off for sounding like I was saying goodbye. That's when I decided I… liked you."

"You 'liked' me?" That naughty smile was back on her face, and she picked up her fork and took another mouthful of food.

"I wouldn't have done anything about it." He said quickly. "I didn't even consider that an option until after Baltimore. When we..."

"Fucked in the face of death?" Her smile widened.

He nodded. "Yeah. When you jumped me. And I recall you told me I was your first choice, which meant you'd been thinking about it..?"

She glanced away for a second before replying. "Okay, yes. When you said what you said to me, when I was going to the Vyerni, there was a moment… I suppose I looked at you from a different angle. Maybe." She was blushing. "I didn't think about doing anything either, though. Not until we did."

"I thought it was a one off." He admitted.

"So did I. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. I kept remembering..." She trailed off, blushing furiously.

"Remembering what?" He was intrigued now.

"Your head between my legs." She murmured.

"Yeah, I had some pretty vivid flashbacks of that myself." He reached out and touched her hand. "That was a pretty spectacular experience."

She glanced up at him, that smile playing around her lips again. "And not what I was expecting, quite honestly."

He finished his last mouthful and laid his knife and fork down. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing! Just… I suppose if I had thought about it, which I'm not saying I had, I would have envisaged something with a little less… finesse."

He snorted. "What, you think all sailors are cavemen now?"

"No! I just- Oh, I don't know. It was just… I'm trying to say it was pretty amazing. Is pretty amazing. Very amazing."

She was so red by this point that he decided to take pity on her. "It is amazing." He said softly.

She met his eyes. "It is."

And he knew she wasn't just talking about the sex anymore, but that was okay, because neither was he. "So, Doc." He pushed his plate away. "What would you normally do after dinner, on a real date."

"Oh god, I don't know. Honestly, I didn't ever used to really date." She laughed slightly. "I'd suggest a walk in the moonlight, but I have a feeling that might be a little too conspicuous under the circumstances."

He nodded. "I'd suggest taking you back to my place, but that might be a little forward." He tried not to smile.

She shook her head. "Oh, I don't know..."

"Meet you there in fifteen?" He asked, and she gave him that naughty smile again.

Fourteen and a half minutes later, Rachel came though his cabin door without knocking, and stepped straight into his arms. He bent his head and kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms tight around her and feeling her hands lock behind his neck. As their tongues tangled and she began to moan softly into his mouth, he slid his hands down and started to gather the fabric of her skirt, pulling it up to her hips.

"What are you doing?" She asked, drawing back slightly.

"What I've been thinking about all evening." He replied and lifted her onto the desk, dropping to his knees in front of her and sliding his hands along her thighs, pushing the skirt higher and gently easing her legs apart. He laid a kiss on the inside of her thigh and felt her shiver – a good shiver – as he ran his tongue upwards towards her centre.

His hands had reached the tops of her thighs, and he dipped his thumb inward and startled back with a curse as he realised she wasn't wearing panties.

"Rachel!"

He looked up to see her blush.

"I thought-" But the rest of the sentence died in a strangled gasp as he thrust his tongue between her legs and tasted her. She moaned loudly, and although he should have cautioned her, he was too caught up in the unique pleasure that was tonguing her sweet spot, sliding his fingers inside her, and feeling her trembling and flooding into his mouth.

"God, you taste good." He mumbled and she ran her fingers into his hair as his free hand tightened on her hip.

"Oh god," She gasped softly, "Oh god, Mike, please, please…"

He could feel her getting close, and moved his fingers a little faster, pressing harder with his tongue, until she arched, made a muffled sound, and then crumpled slightly. He looked up and saw that she had her own hand over her mouth.

He got to his feet and took her face in his hands, kissing her softly, but she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling his body tight against hers, and kissed him hard.

"Here, now," She gasped against his mouth, her hands reaching for his fly. He glanced at the bed, but she already had a hand inside his pants, and he growled and pushed her back on the desk, pulling her skirt up higher and thrusting inside her. He let out an involuntary groan as he was enveloped by her tight, slippery heat, and it was her turn to gasp, "Shh!"

He leant over her and kissed her as he thrust deeper, his hands on her hips pulling her towards him with every stroke. Her hands were on his shoulders, her legs still tight around his waist, and something about the fact that they were both still almost fully dressed gave it an urgency that drove him a little crazy. She was gasping and trembling again, but he couldn't hold out any longer and thrust up hard inside her, letting go just as he felt her shatter around him.

"Fuck, Rachel!" He shouted, and she half gasped, half giggled.

"Now who has trouble staying quiet?" She panted, and he dropped his head to kiss her with a reluctant smile, breathing hard himself.

"All your fault." He replied.

He carefully withdrew and helped her off the desk. She stood in front of him looking a little tentative.

"Do you have to go back to work?"

He shook his head. "Not for a few hours. You want to go to bed? I can leave you sleeping when it's time to go back up there?"

She nodded. "If that's alright. I haven't really been sleeping, where you haven't been here." He couldn't tell if she was flushed from her orgasm, or blushing.

In the time it took him to unlace his boots, Rachel had already shed her clothes and climbed into bed. He stripped and then climbed in beside her, wrapping his arms around her. She snuggled into his chest.

"Do I get a second date?" She asked, her voice already sleepy.

"I'd say so." He replied, turning out the light.


	8. Storm's Coming

_Author's note: So this is where you can start to see parts fitting into the season 2 timeline, specifically S2:E9, but I'm deliberately not tying it in too closely or quoting the show, so maybe don't concentrate on that side of things TOO much…!_

 _Thank you once again for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting, it really does mean a lot, especially when you're writing an unconventional pairing!_

 **Chapter 8 – Storm's Coming**

Mike wasn't sure he'd ever seen the Master Chief looking so awkward as he did right now.

"XO, could we have a word in private?"

Mike followed him a few feet away on deck, out of earshot of any of the other crewmembers.

"Master Chief?"

"Commander, Dr Scott is a beautiful woman."

Mike nodded slowly, a sick feeling starting in his gut. What had been said? Or worse, seen or heard?

Jeter continued, "And I'm certain you are not the only man on this ship to need to-" He paused, "Enjoy some private time once in a while. And what you might think about during that time, well, that's a man's own affair-"

Mike's heart rate, which had started to climb to dangerous levels, suddenly stabilised. He flashed back to the night before and pressed his lips together for a moment as he waited to see what the embarrassed Master Chief had to say next.

"-But if people are walking through the p-ways and were to hear what I heard last night, that is, a senior officer shouting out the name of a person-"

Mike bit the inside of his cheek hard and put Jeter out of his misery.

"Understood Master Chief. Absolutely understood. Moment of, er, insanity, I guess. Certainly won't be repeated. And I thank you for your discretion."

Jeter nodded and walked away quickly, and Mike turned to the rail to hide a spasm of laughter. He really couldn't wait to tell Rachel.

Laying in the circle of his arm in bed that night, she did laugh, but her expression was troubled at the same time.

"It's just luck." She pointed out. "It could so easily have been my voice he heard, or both of ours." She turned her head to look at him. "You were right, it's only a matter of time before someone finds out, and once they do, it'll be all over the ship within minutes."

He sighed. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know." She paused. "I don't know what this is, let alone what we should - or could - tell someone about it."

"Complicated by the fact that the Captain has feelings for you." He added drily. He didn't expect her to deny it, and she didn't. "I guess we could stop-" He started reluctantly, but she was shaking her head already.

"Not that. What else?"

He tried to contain a smile, and failed. "Not that, huh?"

She gave him a stern look. "This is not about stroking your ego, this is about controlling the situation."

"I'll control the situation." He rolled on top of her, pinning her hands over her head and kissing her. "I'll control the situation any time you want."

"Mike, I'm serious!" But she was laughing at the same time.

"So am I." He kissed her again, nudging her lips apart with his so that he could lick into her mouth. She resisted for a second, but then he felt her relax as she kissed him back, her tongue stroking against his. He released her hands and caressed her skin instead, moving his hands over her body as they continued to kiss. She parted her legs beneath him, and he swallowed a groan as his hardness slid against the slick warmth between her thighs.

"Again?" He murmured, and she nodded. "Third time tonight?" He wasn't sure why he was questioning it, given how much he enjoyed having sex with her, but somehow there was something just a little off.

"Yes!" She caught his face in her hands and looked at him. "Again." She tilted her hips and pressed up against him, and he gave in, pushing slowly inside her and keeping his eyes on hers as he started to move.

Her hands were still on his face, and her eyes locked with his. "It feels so good…" She murmured, and he tried not to groan as she tightened around him.

"Telling me." He replied as he rocked slow and deep, one of his hands caressing her breast, the other stroking over her cheekbone and into her hair.

"I-" She started, then stopped and pulled his face down for another kiss.

"You what?" He murmured against her lips.

She shook her head a little, and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Rachel?" He pressed, stilling inside of her.

"Don't stop!" She gasped in protest.

He groaned into her mouth as she kissed him and tightened around him again, and he gave in and thrust deeper, faster, feeling her starting to tremble.

He pulled back from the kiss so he could look down at her again, and she looked right back at him, her eyes full of something that made his chest twinge. He watched as she gasped in one more breath and came hard, her head tipping back and her eyes squeezing closed for a moment. It was enough to send him over the edge, and he dropped his face into her hair as he let go.

He raised his head as his breathing evened out, meeting her eyes again as he rolled onto his side, bringing her with him.

"Rachel, what's going on?" He asked softly.

"I don't know." She replied.

"Yeah, you do. I know you well enough by now to tell when something's off." Even as the words came out of his mouth, he felt the slight shock of realising it was the truth. He could get behind that impeccably maintained mask of self-assurance now.

She bit her lip and half smiled. "Okay, fine. I want to have dinner with you again."

"Sure," He said, puzzled. "We can work that out."

"No, you don't understand." Her face was so close to his that their noses were almost touching. "I want to be able to go out for dinner with you. Or walk on the deck. Or…" She paused. "I don't want to have to be quiet any more."

The penny dropped. "You want to tell people?"

"Well, not a tannoy announcement, but yes. Maybe."

"I'm not sure we can." He started running through options in his head. "I don't know where this falls in terms of regulations. Quite apart from-"

She stopped him with a kiss. "I said what I want, not what we actually have to do. We don't have to do anything, I suppose I just… wanted you to know."

"Oh." He felt a grin forming. "I see."

She smiled back, almost shyly. "Yes?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I want to sit next to you at breakfast. Maybe kiss you good morning."

Her smile widened. "I want to hold your hand when we walk on deck."

"I want to spot you in the gym." He offered. She made a puzzled face, and he clarified. "That's just about looking down your shirt."

She sputtered with laughter and he joined in, stroking her face.

"I don't know what this is either." He said, "But I like it."

The next afternoon he was on his way to the CIC when he ran into her in the corridor. She was standing there breathing erratically and looking paler than he'd ever seen her. It took all of his self control to maintain a professional front as he asked, "Doctor Scott? Everything okay?"

She turned and looked at him, her eyes fearful. Then she nodded, and swallowed. "Yes, Commander, perfectly fine. Just feeling a little tired I think."

In contrast to her reassurance, he felt her hand grab a tight hold of his, hidden in the space between them in case someone else were to come along.

He thought rapidly. "I was actually hoping for a progress report on your work. Perhaps if you have a moment?"

She nodded and followed him to the same small room in which they'd had their dinner date. As soon as the door closed, she doubled over, breathing hard and fighting tears.

"Rachel? What is it?" He was alarmed by the uncharacteristic display of emotion. He put a hand on her shoulder, the other smoothing her hair back from her face. "Sweetheart?"

She gave a strangled sob and suddenly she was in his arms, crying hard into his chest. He held her tight and let her get it out. Her sobs gradually diminished, and eventually she raised her head and looked up at him.

"You want to tell me?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I'm okay now. I'm sorry."

"Does this have something to do with Niels?"

She looked surprised, and somehow wary.

"You were near his cell." He clarified.

She nodded. "You know the Captain is making me use him. Work with him."

"Yeah. I don't like it." He replied bluntly.

"Neither do I." She straightened and smoothed her hair back from her face, visibly pulling herself together. "I'm sorry, again." She paused, "But I'm glad you were here."

He nodded and pulled her close again. "I have to go - I don't want to." He said into her hair, and she nodded against his chest.

"It's okay. I'm okay. Honestly." She managed a smile. "Just all got on top of me for a moment."

He held the door open for her and watched her walk away down the corridor, not even slightly reassured.

Such was his sense of foreboding that when the alarm was raised just hours later and he found himself looking down at Niels' lifeless body on the floor of the lab, all he could think was: _Rachel, what did you do?_


	9. Truth

_Authors note: S2:E10 seemed to scream Mike/Rachel potential to me, so this is my take on the events of that day... As ever, while it kind of fits the timeline, I wouldn't examine it too closely!_

 _Thank you for reading, and if you're enjoying this story I'd love a review!_

 **Chapter 9 - Truth**

Rachel sat still while Mike paced the room.

"Explain it to me again." He was remaining calm, but it was an effort.

"I had to do it." She repeated.

"So you said. Explain to me again why you had to do it?"

"Oh, I don't know. Do you want the science, or the part where he killed five billion people?" Her voice cracked, and he finally stopped pacing and rubbed his face with his hands.

"Rachel, I don't have a moral issue with this. But the Captain will, and it is only a matter of time before he finds out what you did. You need to consider what you're going to tell him."

He looked at her properly for the first time, and as he registered the pain in her face he stopped thinking like the XO and started thinking like the man who- Well, the man who was sleeping with her.

He crouched in front of her. "I'm sorry. Talk to me. Tell me what you want to do."

"What I want is to get on with my work. What I want is to use this to our advantage and spread the cure." She ran her hands through her hair in exasperation. "I don't understand why anyone has to investigate anything, it's not as though he'll be missed!"

He sighed. "It's procedure. Someone dies on the ship, there's an investigation. Hell, chances are I'll be expected to question you myself!"

She grabbed his shoulders. "I'm sorry." She paused. "I mean I'm sorry I put you in this position. I'm not sorry for what I did."

"Nor am I. Good riddance. But Tom isn't going to see it that way." He paused. "And I'm worried you won't either, on balance. Killing someone isn't that easy."

She shook her head. "I can save the rest of the world. That's enough balance for me."

For once, Mike really didn't know what to say. He didn't condemn her actions, but he was worried about the consequences. He couldn't lie to his CO, but he wanted to. And that was worrying in itself.

He took her hands in his. "I'm going to have to talk to the Captain. See where this is heading. What he wants to do."

She nodded. "What should I do?"

"Go back to work." He squeezed her hands. "Go back to work and wait it out."

Tom Chandler was tight lipped as he set out the facts of the Chief Engineer's report. "It all points to Doctor Scott."

Mike nodded slowly.

Tom continued. "I want you to question each of them, everyone involved. Find out what really happened here. Because if she is responsible-"

Mike gritted his teeth. "With respect, I am not the right person to lead on this."

"Of course you are." Tom frowned. "If nothing else, your prior experience is a great asset in these situations."

"No, sir, I cannot lead on this because there is a conflict of interest."

"In what regard?" Chandler sounded irritated.

Mike took a deep breath and braced for impact. "Doctor Scott and I... I am not impartial where Doctor Scott is concerned."

"What are you talking about? I thought you left behind your issues with her long ago?"

"Doc- Rachel and I, our relationship has become... Close. Too close for me to-"

"Wait... Are you sleeping with her?!" The Captain's face held a mixture of disbelief and fury. "Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

Mike nodded. "Yeah."

Tom reeled as though he'd been hit. "But when- How-" He paused. "You're a married man! What were you thinking?"

His chosen line of attack caused Mike's already fragile calm to snap. "You've been making goo goo eyes at her from the second she set foot on this ship, and you were a hell of a lot more married than I am!" He responded.

Tom looked so furious that for a moment Mike thought he was going to take a swing at him. Instead he took a deep breath and laid his shaking hands on the desk. "I can't discipline you for this. But I can tell you how deeply disappointed I am that you would allow yourself to be distracted in a way that could put this mission at risk."

Mike opened his mouth to reply, but Tom was still speaking.

"I have nothing further to say to you on this matter at present, but I will be considering the best course of action, once the investigation is concluded. In the meantime, you are dismissed." His voice was cold and he deliberately focused his gaze away from the XO.

Mike left the room without saying anything further, though it damn near killed him.

Several hours later, he entered Rachel's quarters without knocking, and she leapt up from her chair and threw herself into his arms. He held her as she shook.

"He confined me to quarters." She whispered.

"I know." He smoothed a hand over her hair.

"I told him I did it."

"I know that too."

"And you told him about us."

"Yeah. Had to." He kissed the top of her head, holding her tightly.

She tipped her head back to look up at him. "Are you in trouble?"

"Not officially. But it's going to take him a while to calm down."

"There's a guard outside my door." She gave a sad sort of laugh. "How did you even get in here?"

"I'm the XO." He looked down at her pale, strained face and swallowed at the way his chest tightened. "They have to let me in. At least until Tom tells them not to."

She nodded and pressed her face into his shoulder again. He held her for a long moment.

"Do you have to leave?" She asked, her voice muffled against his shirt.

"Not yet. Not unless you want me to."

He felt her shake her head.

"Are you okay?" He asked, then realised what a stupid question that was. "I mean-"

She pulled back a little and raised her head again. "I know what you mean." She managed a half smile, then she glanced over at the bed. "Can we lay down? I mean, just..?"

"Yeah." Just being here was stupid enough, and this was madness, but he sat down on the edge of the bed and took off his boots, then lay down and held his arms open for her. She curled up tight against him, laying her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"What's going to happen?" She asked quietly.

He sighed. "I really don't know. If I did, I'd tell you. It's up to the Captain."

"This is a ridiculous thing to be worrying about, given the circumstances," She said, "But if I'm confined to quarters, I'm not going to be able to sleep in your cabin, am I?"

He swallowed as he realised she was right. "No."

"And you can't sleep here?"

"I don't think so." He replied, because he couldn't quite stand to say a flat no, even though it was the truth.

She nestled even closer to him, and it was only when he felt her tears soaking through his t-shirt that he realised she was crying.

"Hey, hey. Come on, it's going to be okay."

"Is it?" She asked quietly.

He turned his head so he could look at her. "Captain will calm down, no one is going to mourn Niels - you're probably a hero in the eyes of most of the crew - and with everything else going on, it'll blow over." He paused. "And in the meantime, you've got to stop crying all the time, or I'm going to start thinking you've been infected with some new emotional virus."

It was a bad joke, but it made her smile a little bit, and that was good enough right now.

She bit her lip and glanced towards the door. "They're not going to let anyone else in, are they?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Then as this might be our last chance for a while, can you please-" She swallowed, "Can you please..."

"What, sweetheart? What do you need?"

"Make love to me?" She whispered, so quietly he barely heard it.

The words sent a bolt through his chest, and even though it was taking an absurd risk, there was no way he could refuse her. He leaned in and kissed her slowly, tasting a hint of salt on her lips from her tears.

She sat up and lifted her t-shirt over her head, and he did the same. He shucked off his pants and boxers as she shed her bra, and she stood up briefly to peel off her jeans and panties.

"Come here." He guided her onto his lap, straddling him, and he wrapped his arms around her back and kissed her, holding her close so he could feel her soft breasts against the hard muscle of his chest.

"Mike..." She whispered, rocking her hips a little so he could feel her pressed against his hardness.

"Yeah?" He whispered back, dropping kisses along her jaw, her neck, her collarbone, imprinting the feeling of it in his mind, just in case.

"You're my favourite person." She whispered, as she lifted a little and took him inside her. He stifled his groan against her shoulder, letting her set the pace as she started moving on him slowly.

He moved one hand down to hold her hip, the other still on her back, keeping her close, as he processed her words through the fog of sensation. The answer was on the tip of his tongue, had been for days, and he knew this might be the best chance he was going to get to say it. If he'd been Tom Chandler, there probably would have a been a speech involved, but as it was, he just placed his lips right against her ear, and murmured, "Rachel, I've fallen in love with you."

She gasped, and stopped moving, pulling her head back so she could look at him. She swallowed, then her lips twitched a little, then she nodded. "Yes," She whispered, and nodded again.

He captured her mouth with his and she started to move on him again. He pushed up to meet her, and they moved together, still kissing, his hands tangling in her hair now as he kept his lips on hers, even as she trembled and came, gasping into his mouth, and even as he followed her over the edge, thrusting up hard inside her.

Her head dropped onto his shoulder, and he kissed her neck, tasting her sweat on his tongue.

"Okay?" He asked softly and she nodded slightly. He wrapped his arms around her and went to lift her from his lap, but she resisted.

"Not yet." She whispered, and he held her close instead, almost rocking her.

"Sweetheart, I can't stay much longer." He said reluctantly, after a few minutes.

"Will you come back later?" She asked, her face still buried in his neck.

"I'll try." But they both knew it was almost certainly impossible.

On his way back to the bridge, he saw Tom coming towards him down the corridor. At first he aimed for a curt nod, but as they passed each other he found himself grabbing the captain's sleeve to halt him.

"Something I didn't tell you this morning." He said, "I'm not just sleeping with her. I'm in love with her. Probably should have mentioned that." And he continued on his way without pausing or looking back to gauge Tom's reaction.


	10. Undercover

_Author's note: Well, someone had to take pity on them… [Warning: this chapter is almost 100% smut.]_

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 **Chapter 10 – Undercover**

It had been days, and the closest he'd gotten to Rachel was watching her through the door of the lab. She'd made the breakthrough she'd been hoping for, the breakthrough for which she'd killed Niels, but even that he had heard third hand. It wasn't that Tom Chandler wasn't speaking to him, but he certainly wasn't conveying anything but essential information, and their conversations were cold and matter of fact.

He lay on his bed replaying his last encounter with Rachel over and over. He'd told her that he was in love with her, and he was glad, but if anything it made the separation worse. He needed to know what she was thinking, how she was doing. He needed to hold her and reassure her. And if he was honest, he also needed to have sex with her. His mind drifted to the night on deck when he'd slipped his hand into her jeans and pleasured her, and as he thought about it his hand started wandering downwards, but then he stopped again with a frustrated sigh. It wasn't a worthy substitute.

Sleeping fully dressed on top of the blankets wasn't a worthy substitute for being curled up under them with Rachel either, but it was all he could manage at the moment. Constantly on alert and on edge, his temper was frayed and his body exhausted.

The knock on his door made him jump, and he moved immediately to answer it. Bacon was stood outside, and he glanced both ways down the corridor before speaking.

"XO, sir, I thought I should make someone aware that Doctor Scott's guard has fallen asleep at his post."

It took Mike a second to process the unexpected words. "And why are you bringing this to me, Cowley?" He asked, for a second genuinely confused.

"I just thought you were the person who'd, ah, benefit the most from this information, sir." Bacon replied, and nodded before heading back down the corridor.

Mike didn't even stop to put his boots on, but progressed carefully through the ship towards Rachel's quarters. When he got close, he saw that her guard had indeed dropped off to sleep, propped against the wall a few feet from her door. Moving quietly, he eased open the door and slipped through, closing it behind him. The room was in semi darkness, but as he turned a figure hurtled across the few feet between the bed and the door and landed in his arms.

He picked Rachel up, her legs wrapping around his waist as her mouth found his, kissing him passionately. He responded with equal force, pushing her back against the wall, thrusting his tongue into her mouth and his hand under her shirt, feeling for her breast. Her arms were tight around his neck, and he reached a hand under her to secure her in place, only to feel naked, wet flesh against his fingers. He swallowed a groan as he registered that she was wearing no panties, no bra, nothing but an oversized t-shirt, and without removing his mouth from hers, he managed to undo his fly and free himself to thrust up inside her, holding her against the wall as she gasped into his mouth.

There was no time for whispers or soft kisses or caresses. He thrust into her roughly, feeling her match his movements, revelling in the scent of her hair and the taste of her mouth and the tight, wet heat of her clenched around him, and before long she was shaking in his arms and biting his lip as she exploded around him, and he was stifling his urge to shout out as he came hard, holding her so tight it probably hurt, losing himself inside her for a long moment.

She slowly unwrapped her legs from around his waist, and he supported her as she slid back to the floor. Her lips were swollen from kissing, and her face was flushed, and she was smiling. He went to speak, but she laid a finger across his lips and shook her head. She pointed to the bed and beckoned him, and he followed her willingly as she pulled back the covers and climbed in. He paused to remove his pants and t-shirt, then joined her, wrapping her in his arms.

Her whisper was so soft he could barely hear it, even though their faces were just millimetres apart.

"I love you too." She said. "I promised myself that's the first thing I'd say to you."

He kissed her, gently this time, just brushing his lips against hers. Then he kissed her jaw, her cheekbones, her temple, before coming back to her mouth again.

"How are you here?" She whispered eventually.

"Cowley." He replied. "Told me your guard was asleep."

She bit her lip. "I think he guessed. When we had dinner."

"I think he did." He kissed her again; he couldn't help himself.

"He's a strange looking fairy godmother." She smiled, and he stifled a laugh. She yawned, and he did the same on reflex. "I'm so tired." She murmured. "I haven't been sleeping."

He shook his head. "Me either."

"Can you stay?" She asked.

He'd never seen her look so vulnerable, and although it was a terribly risky decision, he nodded. "Yeah, I'll stay." He rolled onto his back and she nestled her head into his shoulder, his arms tight around her.

After a few hours of the best sleep he'd had in days, Mike woke to find Rachel still snuggled tight in his arms. He glanced at his watch, then brushed his lips over her forehead to wake her, and she smiled up at him sleepily.

"They're going to expect you to leave for the lab soon." He whispered. "You can't be late, they mustn't check the room."

She nodded and stretched up for a kiss. He meant it to be brief, but the feel of her soft body in his arms, the warmth of her lips, the smell of her hair, all combined to make him deepen the kiss and roll her onto her back. She put her own hand over her mouth as he pulled the t-shirt – one of his, he noted – over her head and moved down to kiss her breasts, licking and sucking her nipples as they hardened, feeling her arch into his touch. Keeping his mouth on her breast, he reached a hand between her legs, stroking gently and sliding a finger inside her as he circled his thumb on her sweet spot. She jerked slightly and he smiled against her skin, pressing more kisses over her breasts as he continued to caress between her legs. When she came it was with a slow shudder of pleasure and the very faintest moan.

He raised his head, but before he could move she was pushing him back into the thin mattress, moving over him, her lips tracing across his chest, following the line of hair down his stomach, and suddenly her tongue was circling the tip of his hardness and he was the one clapping a hand over his mouth to prevent a sound escaping as she closed her lips around him and slid down, enveloping him in her warm, wet mouth. If it hadn't felt so damn good, he might have been embarrassed by how quickly she brought him to the edge, her fingers lightly stroking his balls as she sucked him hard, and then before he knew it his hips were moving involuntarily and he was thrusting upwards and coming in her mouth.

By the time he managed to unclench his teeth and open his eyes, she was face to face with him, her smile one of entirely naughty satisfaction.

"Oh, I enjoyed that." She whispered, and kissed him.

He let out a deep, somewhat wobbly, breath. "I definitely didn't hate it." He replied, and he saw her try not to laugh. He stroked her face. "You have to go."

She nodded. "I know."

They dressed in silence, and Mike positioned himself behind the door as she went to open it. Just as her hand touched the handle she hesitated, and took a quick step back into his arms. He held her tightly and dropped a last kiss on her mouth.

"I love you." He breathed into her ear, and she nodded.

"I love you too." She murmured, and then she was gone.


	11. Reconciliation

_Author's note: This picks up somewhere around the end of S2:E11, but as I always say, don't think about the timeline too much! Almost by definition, this story takes things a little bit AU, but you can assume all the major events still take place._

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. It really does mean a lot that people are enjoying this story._

 **Chapter 11 – Reconciliation**

Too many lives. That was all Mike could think. Not just today, though today was a bad one, but ever since the Arctic, ever since the virus, too many lives had been lost on this ship. It was almost impossible to process the five billion lives lost around the globe, but people on this ship, the people he'd worked with, talked with, laughed with, sometimes yelled at, they were all too real.

He ran into her in the corridor. Rachel's face was grey with exhaustion, she'd spent hours saving Tom Chandler's life, even though he'd imprisoned her. For a long moment they just stared at each other, because what was there to say? Then he opened his arms and she came into them, and they stood there holding each other, in full view of anyone who might happen past, and he didn't give a fuck.

She smelt of antiseptic and blood, and just a little bit of nervous sweat, but underneath that he could still detect the subtle scent of her hair, and for the first time in months he felt his eyes prickle. But this wasn't the time.

"How is he?" He asked, gently releasing her.

"He'll live." She gave a half smile. "He might even hate me slightly less, which I suppose is a nice side benefit of saving his life."

Mike snorted a little, and offered a half smile of his own. "He's a stubborn bastard."

"And a noble one." She sighed. "Too bloody noble, possibly."

He shook his head. "He struggles with grey areas. Don't confuse that for something it isn't."

"Don't you throw away your relationship with him over me." She countered.

He made a sound of exasperation. "I'm not the one throwing away anything! All I did was-" He broke off abruptly as he remembered where they were standing, and looked up and down the corridor.

"Go on, say it." She raised her eyebrows and shot him an almost shy smile.

"-fall in love with you." He finished softly. "Which is something I would like to discuss later at length-" He suddenly saw the Master Chief approaching and raised his voice, "-Doctor Scott. If you're available."

Rachel picked up the change in his tone and glanced behind her, smiling slightly.

"Absolutely, Mike. Happy to." She winked and slid past him, managing to brush his hand with hers as she did so.

Mike turned to Jeter, his expression deliberately blank. "Master Chief, report?"

A couple of hours later, he went in to brief the Captain, who was still laid up recovering but looking considerably better. As had been the pattern since he'd come clean about his relationship with Rachel, he spoke factually and kept his eyes fixed somewhere just above Tom's head. Expecting the now standard curt nod of dismissal, he was surprised when Tom spoke instead.

"You love her, huh?"

Mike was so surprised that he took a step back, and his eyes met Tom's. The Captain's tone held no real rancour, more resignation.

"Yes, sir." He replied.

"Is that a… mutual thing?"

Not for the first time, Mike flashed back to Rachel's face close to his, her faint whisper in the dark. "Yes, sir."

Tom nodded slowly. "I'm sorry for what I said. It doesn't change my view on what she did, but I shouldn't have attacked you when you were honest with me." He paused. "I always thought that she… Well, it doesn't matter now."

There was a soft knock and the door opened. Rachel looked surprised to see the two of them talking.

"Sorry, I was just coming to check your dressings. I'll come back later."

"Wait, Doctor Scott." Tom said, holding up a hand.

Rachel stepped cautiously into the room, and Mike had to steel himself not to meet her eye or reach for her hand. Something was coming, and he had no idea what it was going to be.

"I'm removing the guard on you." Tom said, addressing Rachel. "You can use the ward room for meals," He paused, "And I don't care to know where you're sleeping. But you will retain a distance from the rest of the crew, and I still intend that civilian authorities be the ones to decide what to do with you eventually. I guess in layman's terms, you're on parole."

Rachel sounded as stunned as Mike felt. "I don't know what to say. Thank you."

Tom nodded. "I'm expecting that neither of you will allow your relationship to compromise your focus or performance in your duties on this ship."

Mike risked a glance at Rachel now, and she met his eyes briefly before he replied for them both. "That won't happen."

Tom nodded again, and Mike took a gamble, deliberately not looking for Rachel's reaction.

"Would you prefer that Doctor Scott and I keep our relationship under wraps, or-"

Tom didn't let him finish. "I'd obviously ask you to be discreet, but if you prefer not to lie to your fellow officers, then I respect that decision."

Mike nodded, and caught Rachel's quickly hidden smile out of the corner of his eye.

Tom sat up a little and winced. "If that's all, XO, then I think I'd better allow the doctor to do what she needs to."

It was a far more friendly dismissal than any other he'd had from Tom of late, and Mike was happy to take it. He lingered in the corridor outside waiting for Rachel to finish, trying to hear any conversation through the door, but he only caught murmurs.

She emerged after five minutes or so, and seemed unsurprised to see him there. "I hoped you'd wait."

He smiled. "That was unexpected, huh?"

"Very." She smiled back. "You really pushed your luck in there."

"Seemed like the best shot I was going to get."

She stepped a little closer, her body just grazing his. "We should probably talk."

"Mm hmm." He stepped closer still, pressing his chest against hers. "Definitely need to talk."

"Talk." She echoed, her eyes locked with his.

He was a split second from grabbing her when he remembered what the Captain had said. "Discreet, remember. Let's talk in my cabin."

"Now?" She was still so close to him.

"Now." He affirmed.

The door was barely closed before he had her shirt off, their mouths meshed together as they fumbled with each other's clothing. She almost fell over trying to get her boots off, and he tore through the lace of her panties in his impatience to get her naked. She pulled him backwards towards the bed, and they tumbled onto it together, kissing again as their hands grabbed and stroked.

Mike was desperate for her, but there was another element, the same one that had been there the very first time. This wasn't just about him and Rachel, this was fucking in the face of death, this was saying _not us, not today_. She must have felt it too, because she grabbed his face and looked into his eyes.

"We're lucky." She said, her voice shaking. "We're so, so lucky." She kissed him as she rolled him onto his back and straddled him.

"Yes we are." He murmured.

She lifted herself and took him inside her, and Mike groaned aloud at the feel of her.

"Shh," She murmured, but he shook his head as he grasped her hips.

"Not any more. Not now. I don't give a damn who hears this."

She started to laugh, but it turned into a moan as he thrust up into her.

"Besides, I'd like to hear you scream," He growled.

"Be careful what you wish for," She gasped, rotating her hips a little and pulling another groan from him.

He reached his hand between her thighs and started stroking her sweet spot as she moved on him.

"Oh god!" She moaned, and he smirked just a little. She was beginning to tremble, and he held her tight and rolled them over, taking control above her, driving deep and hearing her gasp.

"Please… Mike… please…"

He kissed her, moving faster, feeling his own pleasure build, until he felt her clench tight around him and her half shout mingled with his strangled cry as they came together.

"That wasn't really screaming," He murmured afterwards, stroking her hair back from her face as she lay half draped across his chest. "I'll have to try harder."

She kissed his chest before replying with that naughty smile. "I'm sure I'll enjoy that."

"What are we going to tell people? I mean, if you still want to tell people?" He asked.

She pursed her lips and he watched her consider it. "I don't really want to make an announcement. Couldn't we just… do what we do, and let them draw their own conclusions?"

He couldn't help a snigger as he replied, "I don't think the Captain would approve of us doing this in public."

She flicked his chest with her finger. "You know what I mean. We could eat together in the ward room. Or walk on deck. Just be together and let people work it out."

He thought about for a minute. "It's not a bad idea, but there are a couple of people we should speak to directly." He paused, and looked straight at her. "You should speak to Tex. You know it and I know it."

She sighed and nodded. "Yes, okay. Who else?"

"I need to tell the Master Chief. After he put himself out to have that awkward conversation with me…"

She giggled. "Ah, yes. Fair enough." She kissed his chest again. "I wonder what they'll say."

"They'll all wonder why the hell you picked me, that's for sure."

She looked up in surprise. "Why the hell wouldn't I pick you?"

"Come on, sweetheart. You're the brilliant, beautiful, saviour of the world, and I'm-"

She laid a finger over his lips. "Strong, brave, compassionate – and really good at those grey areas." She paused. "And you're the only person who's ever made me feel safe."

He swallowed down the lump that suddenly seemed to have appeared in his throat. "That true?"

She nodded. "And I love you." She added.

He stroked his thumb across her cheekbone. "Well I guess those are some good reasons then."

"I think so." She agreed. Then she suddenly looked worried. "Are people going to think I'm some kind of homewrecker?"

He started slightly at the unexpected question. "No!" He replied instinctively, then traced his thumb over the worried frown on her forehead. "No," He repeated more softly. "A lot of people know my marriage wasn't in a good place. It wasn't a secret. She'd filed the papers before the Arctic, so…" He swallowed. "This is hard to talk about."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

It was his turn to lay a finger over her lips. "Yes you should. You can ask anything you want. The answers don't paint me in a good light is all. I wasn't around much when I was a cop, even less in the navy. Christine had to do a lot of it alone, and after a while she resented that. She had every right to. I chose what I wanted and I expected her to follow along…" He trailed off, hoping that was enough for now.

"I didn't have relationships." Rachel said softly. "I had friends I slept with. It was better that way, I thought. Focus on the work, don't get distracted." She traced her fingers over his chest again. "The first time we slept together, the reason I left so fast? It was because it jolted me. It made me feel something..." Her eyes were focused on the invisible patterns she was drawing on his skin. "That's why I held off so long before doing it again. I thought I could control it at first, but then I woke up that morning, when you were holding me, and I felt..." She took a deep breath, and he waited. "You were all wrapped around me, like you were protecting me. And it felt so good it scared me."

He put a finger under her chin and very gently tipped her head up so she would look at him. "I tried really hard not to hold you that night," He said, "Because I knew I couldn't come back from that."

She nodded slowly, her eyes still on his. "We fell in love."

"We did. So nothing anyone else might think or say means a goddamn thing. Okay?"

"Okay." She laid her head back on his chest, and he twined his fingers in her hair.

 _I shamelessly stole a line from the person I have these kinds of conversations with in real life, and gave it to Mike, so in return this chapter is for him. Stars, baby._


	12. In Conversation

_Author's note: Thank you even more than usual for the lovely reviews for the last chapter, which felt very personal to me for various reasons. And thank you as ever, of course, to everyone who is reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 _Once again, probably should affirm that none of the characters from The Last Ship are mine._

 **Chapter 12 – In Conversation**

Dinner had proven a complete anticlimax. Having prepared themselves to enter a busy ward room and behave like a couple, in the event the only person Mike and Rachel saw while they ate was Bacon changing out some trays. It provided a good opportunity to thank him for his recent efforts, but given he clearly already knew about their relationship, it didn't deliver what they were both looking for.

"We should go to bed." Mike ran a hand over Rachel's hair as they got up from the table. "Everyone's schedules are out after the last few days; if we haven't seen anyone so far, we probably won't."

"Ten more minutes?" She asked, gesturing towards the comfortable chairs. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but I really want to tell someone!"

He laughed, but deep down he felt pleased. "Alright, ten minutes."

They'd only just settled into their chairs when the door opened and Tex walked in. Mike tried to hide a smile as he saw Rachel's face. He was betting this wasn't the person she'd wanted to see.

"Go on then," He muttered as Tex went over to the food trays, "I'll stay here, give you some privacy."

She shot him a slightly agonised look, but stood up anyway.

"Tex! Can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked as she moved over in his direction.

It wasn't that Mike was deliberately eavesdropping, but the wardroom wasn't exactly huge, and he wasn't exactly trying not to listen, either.

"You alright Doc?" Tex asked.

"Yes, yes good." Mike could hear the nervous tremor in her voice and was torn between sympathy and just a little bit of amusement.

"You sure?" Tex pressed. "You need something?"

"No, I- Well yes, actually, I need to tell you something."

"You can tell me anything Doc, you know me."

For the first time Mike started to feel just a little guilty. There was an undercurrent of tenderness in Tex's tone that reminded him how much the wisecracking contractor really cared for Rachel.

"Tex, I really value your friendship, do you know that?"

"Sure," He sounded puzzled. "Nice to hear though."

"Okay," She paused, and Mike almost wanted to intervene. "Tex, I'm seeing someone. I mean, I'm... It just happened, I didn't-"

"You and the Commodore finally got it together, huh?" Tex didn't sound surprised, and Mike gritted his teeth.

"No! Not Tom, no, that's not-" She sounded so emphatic that Mike was able to unclench his jaw just a little. "I'm not seeing Tom." She clarified. "I'm in love with Mike."

It took everything he had not to turn around and look, such was his shock at her choice of words.

Tex must have felt the same, because he didn't respond for several seconds, and when he did, he sounded truly poleaxed. "You're in love with Mike? The XO? That Mike? When the fuck did that happen?"

"After the labs. A bit before. It just happened." Her voice was soft, almost scared, in the face of his disbelief, and Mike readied himself to step in.

"Christ, Rachel." Tex said, but his own voice had softened. "You know how to stun a guy. I mean, I was pretty certain I wasn't going to win this one, but that's not who I thought I was up against."

"It's not a competition, Tex."

"No, course not darlin', you know what I meant." He raised his voice, "You going to come out, XO?"

Mike stood up and walked over to them. Rachel was red faced, and Tex's expression was unreadable.

"Let's get this over with." Tex said, "You're a lucky bastard, and I'm not going to pretend I'm not jealous as hell, but no hard feelings." He held out his hand and Mike took it. "Now if you don't mind, I need to be some place with pretty girls and liquor, or the closest I'm going to come to that on the James." He stepped forward and planted a brief kiss on Rachel's cheek, then turned and left before either she or Mike could say another word.

"I need air." Rachel said faintly.

It was a clear night, and Mike smiled to himself when Rachel's hand slipped into his as they walked slowly on the deck.

"You said you wanted to do this." He said, squeezing her hand. "How's it measure up?"

She squeezed back. "Despite the hideously awkward conversations required, I like it."

"Listen," He began as they stopped and leant on the rail, "You heard what Tom said today - he doesn't want to know where you're sleeping. So where do you want to be sleeping?"

"What do you mean?" She looked confused.

He stroked a hand down her spine, leaving it resting in the small of her back. "I mean, are you planning to sleep in my cabin every night?"

"Is... is that not okay?" She sounded puzzled and a little worried, and he realised he needed to be clearer.

"Sweetheart, it's perfect." He reassured her. "I'm asking because I'd just like to get it settled." He paused. "I'd like to know that you'll be in my bed."

"Oh," The confusion was replaced by a slightly naughty smile, "Then yes, you can safely assume I'll be in your bed every night from now on."

"Well then," He took a deep breath, "Maybe you should bring some of your things. So you don't have to hurry off in the mornings wearing last night's clothes."

An amused smile spread over her face. "Mike, are you asking me to move in with you?"

He snorted. "We're on a naval ship, not in an apartment block. I'm just saying it would be more practical if your things are in the same place you're sleeping."

"Very practical." She agreed, the smile more of a smirk now.

"Look, you want to or not?" He asked, starting to wish he'd never started this conversation.

"I want to." The smirk was gone, and she leaned in close. "I really want to." She kissed him slowly, and he decided it was worth it after all.

"So you want to pack up some things?"

"Right now?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Good a time as any."

"Don't you have another awkward conversation to have first? The Master Chief?"

He sighed and nodded. "Guess you're packing without me then?"

"I've done my job, you need to do yours." She leaned in and kissed him again. "Then we can celebrate."

Mike tracked down Jeter leaving the mess decks.

"Master Chief, a word if I may?"

"Of course, XO."

"Mind if we step outside?"

"Not at all." Jeter looked faintly puzzled.

Out on the deck, with at least a degree of privacy, Mike decided to launch straight in.

"Master Chief, there is a situation I feel you should be aware of, and it relates to the conversation we had out here not so long ago."

Jeter's expression moved from puzzlement to embarrassment, and Mike ploughed on before the Master Chief could respond.

"Doctor Scott and I are in a relationship." He stated. "Captain knows, everyone else will probably know soon enough. Thought I should tell you personally."

Jeter's expression was now somewhat closer to shell shocked. "So when I heard..." He said faintly. Mike opened his mouth to respond, but Jeter raised a hand before he could. "Perhaps best not, on reflection." He fell silent.

Mike tried to wait it out, but this conversation was proving even more awkward than the one that had preceded it. He was just about to break the silence when Jeter spoke again.

"Also on reflection, if I may, happiness is in all too short supply in our new world. So if you and Doctor Scott have found some, then that's a gift. Make the most of it." He nodded and then left without further ado.

Mike turned and looked out into the dark night beyond the rail. Happiness was a word that at least approached how Rachel made him feel. He remembered their stolen hour out here, what she had said - _even in the midst of it all, I can still take a moment like this and feel happy_ \- and smiled to himself.

He made his way back to the cabin and found her stacking some clothes alongside his. She didn't seem to have brought much, but then he wasn't sure she had many personal possessions to start with.

"I've tried not to make a mess," She said softly, something a little tentative in her tone. "But I didn't know..."

"It's fine." He stepped close and put his arms around her. "I'm not territorial about this. Put things where you like." It wasn't entirely true, he had a well ordered system, but he could vary it for her. "Did you leave much in your quarters?"

She looked up at him and shook her head. "Nothing, really."

"Good." He kissed her gently.

"How did it go with the Master Chief?" She asked.

"Aside from the embarrassment, pretty good." He kissed her again.

"Is he-"

"Rachel," He interrupted, "I might just have had enough of talking about other people today." He kissed her once more. "In fact, I've had enough of talking, period."

He wrapped his arms more tightly around her and kissed her again, nudging her lips apart and deepening the kiss as she willingly pressed against him.

"No more talking," She breathed in agreement.

He undressed her slowly, taking time to run his hands and lips over her skin, listening to her little gasps and moans, before laying her down on the bed and quickly stripping off his own clothes so he could join her.

"Do you think we'll ever get tired of this?" She murmured as he stroked her breast.

"Not possible." He replied, bending his head to take her nipple in his mouth and hearing her gasp as he gently used his teeth. "Besides," He added, "There's so much more to do."

She laughed softly, "Such as?"

"One of these days," He murmured, "I'm going to bend you over that desk."

Her eyes widened and he swallowed her gasp in another kiss as he moved to lay between her legs.

"I was thinking you could further hone my navigation skills," She whispered.

"Oh yeah?" He moved his mouth to her ear as he slowly pushed inside her. "I like the sound of that." He tried to keep his voice steady, but the feeling of her wrapped around him was close to overwhelming, "For now though, I'm just going to do this the old fashioned way."

He kissed her, one hand stroking her cheek as he moved slowly inside her. Somehow, knowing that this was no longer secret, that they didn't have to hide anymore, made it more exciting, not less. She was moving with him, her legs wrapping around his waist, and he managed to work a hand in between them so he could tease her sweet spot, groaning as he felt her clench around him and moan as he did.

"More!" She demanded in a gasp, and he obeyed, circling his thumb as he continued to take it slow, until she was gasping softly against his neck and he was struggling to retain control, and then she arched and shouted and he pushed in deep and let go.

Afterwards he lay facing her, just looking at her until she squirmed and covered her face.

"Stop staring!"

"Sorry." He chuckled. "Just..." He realised he didn't actually have an explanation. "Just like looking at you."

She laughed and cuddled up to him. "Well you're going to have a lot more opportunity now."

"Good." He smiled.


	13. Decompression

_Author's note: Picking up right at the end of S2:E12, bringing us back to the major events of the S2 timeline, but as ever without being tied too closely... [Warning: this chapter barely warrants an M rating]_

 _Thank you as always for reading, following, favouriting, and especially reviewing. The reviews really do mean a lot, and it's awesome to see the way people are invested in this story!_

 **Chapter 13 - Decompression**

"Cheers, asshole!" Mike was barely feeling the pain from his gunshot wound as watched the sub being destroyed. Adrenaline was flowing so abundantly through his body that he could have had the fight all over again. He could dimly hear Danny radioing in to Burk, and only then did he allow himself to think about Rachel.

He'd had to block her out of his head, it was the only way. Earlier that day he'd watched her stupidly risk her life to approach that terrified, sick family, and for the first time in his career - hell, both of his careers - he'd almost fired early, just for the sake of protecting her. Afterwards he'd frozen her out, because he was angry and proud and wanted to kiss her and yell at her at the same time, and this was about something bigger, and he needed to focus.

But now that it was over, now that he could see the sub going down, and the Nathan James still afloat, now that he could take a breath, all he could think was how much he needed Rachel in his arms. It seemed like forever before the group appeared, and by that time he was sat on the sand, applying pressure to his arm. The pain was filtering through now, and it hurt like a bitch.

He staggered to his feet when he saw her, and as soon as she set eyes on him she started running, leaving the rest of the group behind as she stumbled over the uneven terrain towards him. He saw the moment she registered his injury, the way her face paled, and she stopped a foot away from him.

"You're shot?" She asked, sounding angry and relieved, with something else underneath that made his chest twinge.

"It's a through and through." He replied. "I've had worse."

She shook her head angrily and pressed her lips together, and then she leapt forward and threw herself at his good side, wrapping her arms around him as best she could. He wrapped his right arm around her waist and held her close.

Over her head he could see Danny gaping, the rest of the group nearing, and then Tex was there.

"Nothing to see here, folks!"

Mike managed to laugh before dropping his cheek onto Rachel's hair.

"Sweetheart, I've got to sit down before I fall down." The adrenaline was subsiding and he was starting to feel exhaustion as well as considerable pain. She helped him back onto the sand, and started examining his arm, Tex silently handing her the med kit so she could go to work.

"At what point," She asked, looking around at the scene, "Did you get shot?"

"Right before we won." He replied.

"Well it looks like someone dug around in this entry wound, and not in a helpful way." Her voice was a little shaky.

"Well that might have happened. But I took care of it. Then I sunk the sub. So on balance we came out on top."

She met his eye. "Would they have suffered?"

"Probably." He confirmed.

"Good." She said quietly.

Back on the James, after treatment and debrief and congratulation all round, Mike finally made it back to his cabin. His arm was in a sling to prevent him reopening the wounds, and although he didn't want to admit it, he was dead on his feet with tiredness. Rachel was in the lab documenting the effect of the contagious cure, and although he'd intended to wait up for her, he lay down on the bed and his eyes crashed shut before he could even take his boots off.

He woke to the feeling of those boots being slowly and carefully unlaced, and opened his eyes to see Rachel crouched at the end of the bed, his boot in her hand.

"Hey." He managed.

"Hi there." She smiled. "I was trying not to wake you."

"Did you finish in the lab?" He asked, raising himself up on his elbow.

"I did. It's all looking so positive." Her smile widened. "I really think this is it, it worked even more effectively than I'd hoped."

"Worth nearly getting killed for then." He regretted saying it almost as soon as the words came out of his mouth, but to his surprise she didn't blow up.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so impulsive with that family. You were trying to protect us all, and I didn't listen." She finished unlacing his second boot and dropped it on the floor before moving up to sit on the edge of the bed.

He nodded. "Thank you."

"Is that... You didn't say goodbye." She said quietly. "I sat there waiting, and I kept thinking, if something happened-"

"Hey," He laid his hand over hers. "I had to focus. I couldn't think about you, because I had to think about what I was doing. That's how it is." He paused, and tried to work out how to explain it. "If I let myself think about you, I'd start thinking about getting back to you. And if I thought about that, I might not do what I have to. Do you understand?"

He saw her swallow before she nodded. "I understand."

"It's because I care so much about you. Because I love you." He emphasised.

She nodded again. "I was terrified of losing you. Even more terrified than I was that the contagious cure wouldn't work."

"You weren't going to lose me. I wouldn't let that happen." He tried to reassure her.

"I'm not a child." She said. "I've seen the same things you have, since the Arctic. You could have died today."

"You're right, I'm sorry." He felt another wave of tiredness sweep over him.

"You should rest." She said softly. She shifted forward as if preparing to rise, and he grabbed her hand.

"Don't go." He heard the edge of panic in his own voice and cringed.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm just taking my boots off." She looked at him carefully before bending and removing her boots. Then she swung her legs up onto the bed and lay down beside him. "I'm not going anywhere." She repeated.

"Okay." He took a breath, then another, trying to calm his suddenly racing heart.

"Mike," She said softly, putting her hand on his cheek and looking straight at him, "It's okay."

"It's adrenaline." He replied.

"Something like that." She kissed him gently. "Plus painkillers and a lot to process." He nodded slightly and she moved to rest her head on his shoulder. "Is this okay?"

"It's good." He pulled her closer with his good arm.

"You should sleep." She murmured, "We both should."

And somehow, as if her words gave him permission, he did just that.

He woke up with a clear head, and a dull ache in his left arm. His right arm was still wrapped around Rachel, who was asleep with her face turned into his shoulder. Her hand was resting on his stomach, and her leg was slung over his. They were both still fully dressed and laid on top of the blankets, and he glanced at the clock to see it was only the early hours of the morning.

Rachel stirred and lifted her head. "Are you okay?" She asked sleepily.

"Better." He replied honestly.

She smiled and sat up a little. "We should get into bed properly." She said. "Get some more sleep."

He nodded. "Good idea." He unfastened his pants and went to try to untie the sling, but she stopped him.

"Let me." She untied it carefully and then helped him off with his t-shirt. He tried not to wince as he inadvertently flexed his left bicep, but the stab of pain was more intense than he'd expected. She frowned and turned her attention to his pants as she said, "I want to have another look at those dressings in the morning."

"It's fine, honestly." He reassured her, shifting to help her get the pants off.

"I know, I was the one who stitched you up, remember?" She smiled. "Maybe it's not the doctor part of me that's worrying about you." She stood and hung his pants and t-shirt over the back of a chair while he managed to pull the blankets back one handed.

She turned towards him and lifted her t-shirt over her head before shimmying down those tight jeans she always wore. As she reached behind her back to undo her bra, he couldn't help but appreciate the sight, a slow smile spreading over his face.

"Uh oh, I know that look." She laughed.

"I told you, I'm feeling better." He smirked as she hooked her fingers into the sides of her panties.

"Not that much better?" She asked.

"Why don't you finish taking those panties off and we'll see?"

"These are knickers," She corrected, "And I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"How about you take them off and I promise to just look?" He tried.

She shook her head, but she was smiling. "No, Doctor says the underwear is staying on."

"What does Rachel say?" He made a last ditch attempt as she climbed under the blankets with him, panties still firmly in place.

"Rachel-" She kissed him, "-would like nothing more than climb on top of you and have some passionate, life affirming sex-" She kissed him again, "-but as I'm also the doctor, I know better." She carefully laced her fingers through those of his left hand, trying not to jolt his upper arm, then cuddled back into his right shoulder.

"Fine, I give in." He sighed, kissing the top of her head.

"Tomorrow, I promise." She murmured, slinging her leg over his again and inadvertently brushing his hard on with her knee as she did so. "Sorry!" She gasped with laughter as he groaned.

"Come on!" But he found himself laughing too, and as they lay there, sniggering in the dark, he finally let the events of the day go.

"I love you." He heard Rachel whisper, and he smiled as he replied.

"I love you too."


	14. Recovery

_Author's note: So I accidentally wrote a few pretty heavy chapters back to back, then decided we needed a little levity in there, so here's a light hearted interlude before we approach the S2 finale…_

 _As ever, thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 **Chapter 14 – Recovery**

If word hadn't gotten around the ship before Rachel had embraced him on the beach, it certainly had now, Mike reflected, as he caught the third sidelong glance since leaving his cabin on the way to the ward room. Rachel had gone straight to the lab, and he wondered if she'd received the same looks.

She'd insisted on his putting the sling back on, so he was trying to help himself to breakfast one handed when a hand clapped the back of his good shoulder.

"Let me help with that." Tom offered, and Mike nodded.

"Thanks."

The two men sat down together and started eating in relatively comfortable silence, until the door opened and Danny and Kara entered, mid conversation.

"-true they kissed on the beach?" Kara was saying.

"Not kissing, but she threw herself-" Danny broke off abruptly as he registered who was sitting at the table.

"Morning Green, Foster." Mike kept his face deliberately neutral.

They mumbled greetings before moving away quickly, and Mike caught Tom's eye across the table. To his surprise, the Captain looked faintly amused.

"You asked for it," He said in a low voice, but there was humour in it.

Mike snorted slightly, "Guess I did. Not that those two have any right to an opinion given their situation."

Tom smiled slightly. "Tex referred to the James as the love boat last night. Not sure how many other relationships I don't know about."

Mike wasn't quite sure how to respond, so settled for, "None that I know of."

Tom hesitated before asking, "How long… Can I ask when it started? You and Rachel?"

"After the labs were destroyed," Mike said, deciding to leave their liaison after Baltimore to one side. He echoed Rachel's words to Tex as he added, "It just happened."

Tom nodded slightly, and silence fell again for a few minutes before he said, "You could have told me, you know. Before."

Mike sighed. "I didn't really know what it was. Seemed premature to tell anyone else." He paused, wanting to add, _and I knew you had feelings for her_ , but decided it was better left alone.

"Well, you sunk the sub and saved all our asses, so I guess we're even now." Tom was half smiling again, and Mike laughed a little as he shook his head.

"No, that was definitely a team effort."

"Well coordinated and meticulously planned." Tom agreed.

They caught each other's eye again and grinned, and Mike felt a surge of relief that their friendship seemed to be getting back on track.

A few hours later, he was in the CIC when a message came through that Rachel needed him in the lab. He hurried up there, concerned, but when he got there found her standing by an empty chair, med kit in hand.

"I knew you wouldn't answer a call to come and have your dressings changed, but I thought summoning you here might just work."

"I would have." He protested, but then smiled as she fixed him with a stern expression. "Alright, you win."

He sat and tried not to wince as she bent over him, removing the dressings and prodding and poking at the wounds.

"Healing nicely already." She said with satisfaction. "You can leave the sling off as long as you try to avoid lifting anything heavy, and you'll be cleared for normal physical activity in no time."

He reached out and ran his hand along the side of her thigh. "If you keep putting your breasts in my eye line," He murmured, "I'll be demanding physical activity right here, right now."

She straightened and shot him that naughty smile. "How about back in the cabin, one hour from now?" She asked.

"It's a date." He replied quickly.

In the event, he got caught up with the Chief Engineer and didn't reach the cabin until ninety minutes later, but Rachel was still there waiting for him. His apology died on his lips as he took in the sight of her perched on the desk wearing only her underwear and a tank top made of such thin cotton it was almost transparent.

"Hi," He said softly, bending to take off his boots.

"Hi," She replied, leaning back slightly so he could really appreciate the way the cotton moulded to her breasts.

He carefully removed his t-shirt, praying she wouldn't change her mind as he failed to suppress a grimace at the feeling of flexing his upper arm. He stepped closer, and she uncrossed her legs, allowing him to stand between them as she remained sat on the edge of the desk.

"Last night," He murmured. "You promised me something about passionate, life affirming sex?" He looked right into her eyes as he kissed her slowly, and felt her hands undoing the fastenings of his pants.

"Well a little while ago, you said you wanted to bend me over this desk," She said softly, her lips still brushing his. "And I've hardly been able to think about anything else since."

He groaned, both at the thought, and at the feeling of her hand sliding into his boxers and grasping his hardness. "That's the kind of physical therapy I could get on board with." He said as she sniggered and pushed his pants and boxers to the floor so he could step out of them.

He stepped back, using his hand in the small of her back to pull her off the table to stand in front of him. He kissed her again, cupping her breast, then span her round and pressed her against the desk, sweeping her hair aside and dropping a kiss on the back of her neck.

"You sure?" He asked, running a hand down her spine, caressing her through the thin material of her tank top.

"Yes," She gasped as his fingers reached the edge of her panties. He inched them down, his fingertips tracing over her skin. As the panties fell to the floor she widened her stance a little, and he slid his hand between her legs, his breath catching as he felt how wet she was.

"You really have been thinking about this, huh?"

She nodded, a tiny whimper escaping her as his fingers traced over her sweet spot. He withdrew his hand and rested it in between her shoulder blades instead, gently pushing her down to rest on her elbows on the desk.

He shifted back for just a minute to take in the sight of her, knowing this was something he'd want to remember – and likely repeat. Then he rested his hands on her hips and slowly guided himself inside her, letting out a groan of satisfaction as he heard her gasp. He started to move, keeping his thrusts slow but deep, his hand caressing her hip.

"Please…" She murmured, her voice a little ragged.

"Please what?" He murmured back.

"Don't hold back…"

He groaned again and thrust harder, feeling her push back against him, driving him even deeper. "Christ, Rachel…"

Her answering moan tore away the last shred of his restraint, and he thrust fast and hard into her, his hand tight on her hip, aware only of the feeling of being inside her, the noises she was making, the way she met his thrusts and clenched around him. He worked his hand around to caress her sweet spot, and felt her whole body quake as she shouted out loudly enough to alert half the ship as she came, bringing him over the edge with her, unable to suppress a shout of his own as he shot deep inside her.

His legs giving out, he grabbed at her waist, pulling her with him as he took the few steps to the bed and collapsed onto it, feeling her body hit the mattress beside him. He lay there for a few moments, breathing hard, then traced his hand over her arm, her side, until she turned to face him.

"Okay?" He asked softly, and she nodded.

"Amazing," She replied, still struggling to catch her breath.

He stroked her hair back from her face and kissed her gently. "I'll say."

"And all that with an injury." She was giving him that naughty smile again. "Just imagine if you'd been at full strength."

He chuckled and kissed her again. "Just you wait."


	15. Curve Ball

_Author's note: Well, some of you predicted this was going to happen in your reviews, so all credit to you… This picks up around the beginning of S2:E13._

 _Thank you as ever for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. And if you're a regular reader who hasn't reviewed yet, why not break the habit and post one?_

 **Chapter 15 – Curve Ball**

They were on the way north to spread the contagious cure, and perhaps to make a new seat of government. Mike's injury was healing, Rachel was in his bed every night, and he was starting to let himself think about what was next, now that their mission was coming to an end.

Maybe it was because half of his mind was on that that he didn't immediately notice how quiet Rachel was when they were undressing for bed. He hadn't seen her all day, and it was only when he went to wrap her in his arms and she stiffened a little that he realised something was wrong.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Bertrise asked me for tampons today." She replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"The way she and Mason look at each other, be grateful it's not condoms." The laugh died on his lips as he saw her expression, and she continued as if he hadn't spoken.

"It made me realise that I hadn't had need of those for a while. Which made me look at the diary. Which made me realise that I missed my contraceptive shot."

Mike felt his feet give out from under him as he realised what was coming, and sat down heavily on the bed beside her.

"I suppose with everything going on, it just slipped my mind." She continued, staring at the floor. "So I did a test, just to be on the safe side… and it turns out I'm pregnant." She concluded.

He looked at her and saw that despite her matter of fact tone, her lip was trembling.

"Hey, come here." He managed, putting his arm around her and drawing her close.

"This was not in the plan." She whispered.

"Plan?" He asked in confusion.

"My life plan!"

"Was that life plan drawn up before or after the end of the world?" He hadn't intended it to come out quite like that, but she let out a shaky laugh in response.

"Before, in fairness."

"Did it also have a section about not falling in love with a naval officer?" He asked gently, his head spinning.

"Oh I think there was a whole appendix on that topic."

He took hold of her hand. "Rachel, how do you feel about this? Honestly?"

She looked at him properly for the first time. "I don't know. I really don't."

"That's okay. You don't have to know." His own thoughts were running wild, veering between terror and excitement and everything in between, but his main concern right now was for her.

"You're being so calm." She said. "And I know you, Mike. You're being the XO. Please don't be. Please just be my... whatever we are, and tell me how you feel about this?"

He tried to articulate it. "On the one hand, bringing a child into this world we have left, that's a big decision, I don't know how I feel about that. On the other hand," He reached out very tentatively and touched her stomach, "The thought of making a baby with you? That feels pretty special to me."

She swallowed. "You have kids already."

"I do." He paused. "Or I did." He felt the familiar mix of love, fear, and sadness that always came over him when he thought of them. "But that's not the point, is it? This is." He laid his hand on her stomach again.

"I know that the idea of a life plan probably sounds stupid," She said, "But you have to understand that I've gone so far off it, so fast, that some days I don't even know who I am any more, let alone where I'm going or what I want."

He nodded.

"I mean," She continued, "I was never expecting to have a relationship like this. I certainly never thought seriously about a home or a family. But now…"

"But now there's us." He completed for her. "And I'm not planning for that to change."

She shook her head quickly. "Nor am I. And I am basically living with you." She added, glancing round the small cabin at their mingled possessions.

His eyes followed hers and he laughed a little. "Yeah, I had noticed that."

"So maybe... Maybe this would be okay." She tentatively placed her hand over his, which was still on her stomach. "Maybe we could... do this."

"You don't have to decide right away." He said softly. "We could just sit with it for a while."

She nodded. "That would be good."

He kissed her forehead. "Come on, let's get into bed."

They finished undressing, and he settled into bed, holding open his arms for her. She chose to align her back with his chest so that he could curve around her from behind, and took one of his hands in hers. Without thinking too deeply about it, he laid the other on her stomach.

They lay in silence for a while, but Mike knew she was still awake by her breathing. "Rachel?" He murmured. On instinct he reached up to touch her face and felt it wet with tears. "Oh, sweetheart." He wrapped his arms around her more tightly. "Please don't."

"I can't help it," She said, starting to sob. "It's probably fucking hormones."

He tried really hard not to laugh, but somehow the way she said it was too funny to resist, and he let out a spurt of laughter. To his surprise, she joined in, laughter mingling with her sobs.

"Turn over, please?" He requested, and she did, letting him see her tearstained face in the dim light.

"I'm scared." She whispered, and he felt his chest constrict a little as he cuddled her close.

"What are you scared of?" He asked.

"Everything. The virus, the immunes, what happens when we get off the ship, what happens if we don't get off the ship, what happens if we're separated, what happens if I have this baby and I can't cope-" She started sobbing again.

"Woah, one thing at a time." He said. "Yes, it's still dangerous out there. But there's a whole crew here to protect you, not just me. No one is going to separate us because I will not let that happen, and we will cope, together."

She nodded, hiccupping slightly as her sobs began to subside.

"Any more?" He asked.

She nodded. "I'm scared how much I like you doing this." She said, taking his hand and placing it on her stomach. Her voice was so soft it was almost a whisper.

"Oh yeah?" He stroked her stomach very gently. "Why is that scary?"

"Because despite all of the really good reasons not to do this, it makes me really want to."

Her words brought a lump to his throat and he tried to swallow it down. He knew he had to say it now. "I want to." He said quietly. "I really want to."

She looked up at him. "Really?"

"Really. And I'll do it right this time, I promise." The words were out of his mouth before he'd even considered them, and he was angry with himself for saying them. But she tightened her hand on his, and didn't look away as she asked, "What did you do wrong?"

"Wasn't there enough. I love my kids, very much, but I hardly know them. Knew them." The lump in his throat seemed to be growing bigger. "I wasn't like Tom. I didn't always put them first."

She leaned her forehead against his. "I trust you with this." She said softly, "I do. If you say we can do this, I believe you."

He swallowed again, but the lump wouldn't shift and he was struggling to speak. "We can." He managed, then the lump won, and a noise something like a strangled sob burst out of his mouth, and then a tear rolled down his cheek, and he was pulling away so she wouldn't see it, but her hands were on his arms, and her face was still close to his, and in the end there seemed to be no choice but to bury his face in her hair and let go.

It was for his son, his daughters, for Christine. For his crew - the ones he'd lost and the ones still here. For everything that had happened, and everything that hadn't. For the months of being tireless and fearless and pushing everything else away. For Rachel, for their baby, for the man he wanted to be for them. And it came out of him in wracking sobs and painful tears until it was gone, and only then did he raise his head and meet Rachel's eyes.

"Thank you," She whispered, which was the strangest choice of words, but somehow made perfect sense.

And at that moment, kissing her made perfect sense, rolling her onto her back as she opened her legs for him to move between them, and wrapping her so close in his arms that he lost the sense of where he ended and she began, and everything was just skin and sensation as he pushed inside her and found her mouth with his at the same time, and she clung to him as they moved together, kissing and kissing and twining around each other, and then he managed to pull his face away just enough to look into her eyes as she trembled and came apart, and he didn't look away as he did the same.

"It really will be alright." He said quietly and sincerely as she lay with her head on his chest, his hand stroking her hair.

"I believe you." She said softly.


	16. Journey's End

_Author's note: And so we come back to the S2 timeline for the last time, picking up towards the end of S2:E13. You know what's coming…_

 _Thank you once again for the lovely reviews, the scary number of reads, the much appreciated follows and favourites._

 **Chapter 16 – Journey's End**

There was something about the party that made him feel nostalgic for the world before, and Mike was content to stay close to Rachel, sipping champagne and watching the others reminisce. Rachel was ostensibly drinking a glass of champagne too, but he didn't think he'd seen more than a drop or two actually pass her lips. Until they knew exactly how pregnant she was, they weren't going to share the news, but they were both feeling cautiously happy.

He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close, unable to resist dropping a kiss on her mouth as she turned her head and smiled at him.

"You look beautiful tonight, in case I forgot to tell you that." He said softly.

"That's the fourth time you've told me." She said, shaking her head a little with a smile.

"Bears repeating." He replied.

"Come on XO, put her down!" Tex shouted over. "You're making the rest of us jealous!"

Rachel laughed. "Maybe you should go and join them. I'm exhausted, I might go and lie down for an hour."

"I'll come with you." He offered.

"No, stay here. I mean it, spend some time with your friends. I'll come back down in a while… Or I might just be asleep, in which case don't wake me when you stumble in drunk." She laughed.

"You're sure?" He asked.

"Perfectly sure." She kissed him lightly. "I'll see you later."

He joined in with the reminiscing, toasting, and banter for a while, but something itched at him. It was almost like an instinct, a feeling he couldn't quite shake. He leaned over to Tom and murmured,

"I'm just going to check on Rachel."

He'd assumed she would sleep in his room, but when he opened the door quietly, there was no one to be seen. They'd been given separate rooms on some basis of protocol, so maybe she'd returned to hers – she had dressed there after all. He moved down the corridor and opened the door of her room, but it too was empty. She definitely hadn't come back down to the party, so where was she? Starting to feel concerned, he retraced his steps and let himself back into his room, intending to check for any sign that she had been there. What he found, however, was Rachel lying on the bed in her underwear, looking up and smiling when she saw him.

"Hello."

"Where-" He looked around in confusion. "You weren't here a minute ago."

"I was in the bathroom." She laughed, "How drunk are you?"

"Only very slightly," He replied, unbuttoning his jacket. "And definitely sober enough to take advantage of having you laid on a very large and comfortable bed, almost naked."

He recognised that naughty smile as she shifted on the bed, reaching behind her back to undo her bra. His mouth went dry as she slid the straps down her arms deliberately slowly.

"It is a very big bed." She confirmed. "Much too big for one."

He nodded dumbly as she dropped the bra, arching her back a little.

"I'm glad you're here." She continued, running her hand down her breastbone, and onto her stomach, then lower, to the top of her panties. "Because I'm not really tired anymore…" Her fingers slipped inside her panties and she made a little noise.

He crossed the room in a flash, dropping his jacket on the floor and pushing her gently back onto the bed, pulling off her panties and burying his head between her legs. She gasped as his tongue met her sweet spot, and he groaned at the taste and feel of her, hot and wet against his lips.

"Mike!" She moaned, as he explored her with his tongue, and he felt her tremble a little as he slid a finger inside of her, stroking gently as he continued to lick her sweet spot. "Please fuck me!" She gasped.

He raised his head with a slightly incredulous chuckle. "I'm sorry, Doctor Scott?"

She met his eyes, her own dark with need. "Please fuck me." She repeated, softly and deliberately.

He growled and moved up the bed, holding her legs apart so he could kneel between them, fumbling with his fly until he freed himself to push inside her. She tipped her head back and mewled with satisfaction, and he thrust a little harder, feeling her open around him.

"Like this?" He murmured, and she opened her eyes, looking up at him.

"Like that." She affirmed with a gasp, and he grabbed her ankle and lifted her leg onto his shoulder, making her moan again as he pushed deeper.

His eyes were fixed on her, watching as the flush spread over her cheeks, the way she brought a hand up to caress her own breast, and he was overwhelmed for a moment by the knowledge that this beautiful, sexy, incredible woman wanted him to do this to her, wanted him in her bed, in her life – wanted to have his baby.

"I love you," He groaned as he lost control, thrusting hard as he started to come, and feeling her clench around him as her back arched and she reached her own climax.

He collapsed beside her on the bed, reaching for her hand and listening to her ragged breathing as they recovered.

"Wow." She said softly, and he turned his head to look at her. "Wait, are you-" She started to laugh as she raised her head and looked at him properly, "Are you still wearing your shoes?"

He started to laugh himself. "Yeah, these dress uniforms are a bitch to take off."

She was gasping with laughter as she reached over and ran her hand over his shirt. "And now very crumpled!"

"I'll wear it as a badge of honour." He caught her chin in his hand and kissed her. "You want to go to sleep?"

She shook her head. "I think we should go back to the party. I'll quite enjoy watching them all wonder what we've been up to."

"You, Doctor Scott, have a naughty side." He said, kissing her again.

"I suspect you already knew that." She replied.

He passed her her underwear from the floor, and was just doing up his pants when there was a commotion outside in the corridor, and a gunshot.

"Stay here!" He instructed Rachel. He edged towards the door, wishing he was armed, and listened intently. Hearing only muffled voices now, he cautiously pulled open the door a crack and looked out.

Burk and Green were stood over the slumped body of a civilian, Burk checking him over while Danny scanned up and down the corridor.

"What happened?" Mike asked.

Danny held up a pistol. "He was looking for Doctor Scott. And he was carrying this. We saw him coming out of her room. He came at me when I challenged him, and ended up on the wrong end of his own gun."

Blood was spreading across the carpet, and the would-be shooter was groaning.

"Where is he hit?" Mike asked.

"In the leg. Then I knocked him out." Danny replied.

"Looks like he's coming round." Mike bent over him and punched him hard in the face, and his head dropped back to the floor. "Maybe not." He straightened up, trying to keep a lid on the anger boiling inside him. "Lock him up somewhere secure," He ordered. "Tell Doc Rios not to let him die, but no pain relief. I want him uncomfortable until I can question him. And then gather all possible security and sweep this place."

"What's going on?" Rachel asked from behind him, trying to see over his shoulder.

"I told you to stay there." He snapped, turning to see her worried face. He immediately relented, softening his voice as he said, "Please, sweetheart, go back inside."

She retreated, and he turned back to the others. "I'll stay here with Doctor Scott, you come and tell me when you've finished the sweep."

Danny nodded, and Mike stepped back into the room, locking the door behind him.

"He was looking for me?" Rachel's face was pale against her black dress, and she was shivering slightly. He draped his jacket around her shoulders.

"Listen to me," He said, looking deep into her eyes. "I am never, ever, going to let anything happen to you." He noticed that her hand was laid instinctively over her stomach. "Either of you." He corrected, laying his own hand on top of hers.

 _Well of course I wasn't going to let Rachel be shot! And now onwards into the AU…_


	17. After

_Author's note: This picks up directly after the last chapter, and effectively takes the story into the new AU world beyond S2…_

 _Thank you for continuing to read, review, follow and favourite._

 _Probably a good moment to reiterate that I don't own any of the characters from The Last Ship._

 **Chapter 17 – After**

Mike woke up curled protectively around Rachel, his body between hers and the door, exactly the same position he'd finally fallen asleep in. Once it had been confirmed that the shooter appeared to be acting completely alone - and was recognised as having been with the immunes in Memphis - he'd posted guards outside their door and persuaded Rachel to go to bed, but had taken far longer to get to sleep himself. He tightened his embrace unconsciously as he thought about what could have happened if Danny and Burk hadn't been there, or if he'd stayed downstairs with the others, and he felt Rachel stir.

"Sweetheart?" He said softly.

"Mmm?" She shifted and turned onto her back. Her eyes were still half closed, and smudged with last night's makeup.

"It's okay, go back to sleep." He murmured, but she opened her eyes properly and looked up at him.

"Hi." She smiled sleepily, and he felt his chest twinge.

"Morning," He bent his head and kissed her. "How are you feeling?"

She blinked and yawned. "Alive. Always good."

"You want something to eat? Drink?"

"Mike, I'm pregnant, not incapable-" She paused. "No, you already know that." She touched his face. "I'm fine, alive, safe. I can get my own tea."

"Actually you can't. I don't want you leaving this room."

She sat up in bed and pushed her hair back from her face. "You said the building is secured."

"It is." He agreed warily.

"Then I can go downstairs and see what the breakfast situation is, correct?"

He sighed. "I just think it would be better if-"

"No." She interrupted, taking his hand. "I know you want to protect me, but you are protecting me. I won't leave the building, I'm fine if you want to post guards, but I'm not going to sit here and stare at the walls. Besides, I have a meeting with the President, and I thought that this afternoon we could maybe ask Doc Rios to do an ultrasound…" She smiled a little.

He swallowed. "Really? You're ready?"

She nodded. "As long as you let me have breakfast."

"While you're meeting Michener, I'm going to interrogate our suspect." He told her.

She nodded with a slight shudder. "Okay. But you know what he'll say."

"I do. Doesn't mean I won't enjoy beating the crap out of him."

"Mike!" She said in shock, and he relented.

"Not really. Much as I'd like to." But he deliberately didn't promise.

The would-be shooter had been locked in the smallest and most uncomfortable cellar room that Green and Burk could find, and was shivering with cold and pain when Danny dragged him out to face Mike's questions. His bandaged leg was bloody, and his face was swollen from both Mike and Danny's punches the night before.

"Looks like you've had a rough few days." Mike started conversationally, slipping effortlessly into his old role as detective. "Failure in Memphis, failure here, and now dying slowly from a gunshot wound."

"I'm not dying! I'm chosen!" The suspect spat back.

Mike laughed, "Really, by who? Because it looks to me like immunes are dying much faster than the rest of us right now." He paused. "And no one's immune to infection and blood loss." He gestured to the suspect's leg, "Bullet's still in there I hear." He shook his head. "Nasty way to die. Slow."

He caught a flicker of doubt in the man's face. "I'm not dying."

"Sure you are." He kept his expression deliberately neutral. "You know, I got shot a while back. Luckier than you, through and through, but some bastard tried poking their thumb around in the entry wound. Hurt like hell." He pushed the chair back and stood, moving a little closer.

The suspect tried to stand but Danny pushed him firmly back down onto his chair as Mike towered over him.

"You know, there's no law enforcement in this town yet." Mike said softly. "So the boys and I can do what we like to you. Beat on you, lock you up, starve you to death before the infection gets you." He paused. "I mean, you're dying anyway, so maybe you don't much care, but you should think on it." He gestured to Danny and the younger man hauled the suspect upright again and pushed him back into the makeshift cell, locking the door firmly.

"Let's leave him to stew a couple more hours." Mike said quietly. "No food, no medical care, nothing."

"Sir-" Danny started, but Mike held up his hand.

"Imagine if it were Kara." He said bluntly, and Danny nodded in concession.

Mike was desperate to see Rachel, to prove to himself that she was still safe and well, but somehow he didn't want her to see him in this role, in the midst of something so unsavoury. So he contented himself with watching her from a distance for a few minutes as she sat talking to Tex and Kathleen, before he headed out for a walk to clear his head. When this had been his job, it hadn't bothered him, it had been a challenge he'd almost relished; but now it no longer felt like that.

When they pulled the suspect back out, he was looking even weaker than before, and Mike went straight in for the direct questions.

"Who sent you here?"

"It was my own idea. Heard about that bitch spreading the cure. Thought I'd take her out." His voice was still defiant, but there was a definite edge of desperation.

"You bring anyone with you?"

"No man, told you it was my own idea."

He repeated the questions around and around, from every angle, circling the man, getting in his head, all the skills he'd honed over the years. And all the time he felt sicker and sicker as he accepted that it really had been a lone wolf attack. Rachel had come a whisker from serious harm because one single nut job had had himself an idea and could wriggle through a window vent.

Finally he gestured Danny over. "You need to talk to what's left of law enforcement, arrange more permanent custody for him. Because we're done here, and I'm fighting a very strong temptation to throw him off the roof, so probably a good idea to get him out of my way before I give in."

As he left the cellar, he felt a sudden need to wash the stench of the situation off of himself, especially if Rachel really was going to arrange the ultrasound. He couldn't face his unborn child like this. He headed back to the room and found that Rachel had had the same idea. She was reclining in a deep bath, and just the sight of her made him start to feel better.

"Look at you." He said softly.

She smiled. "I can't actually remember the last time I had a bath."

"Me either." He agreed.

"Plenty of room in here?" She invited, and he found himself smiling.

"Oh yeah?"

She sat up. "You can wash my back." As he started to strip off his clothes, she added, "How did it go?"

"As expected." He replied shortly.

She looked as though she might say something else, but then relented. "Okay. You'll tell me later?"

He nodded, then slid into the tub behind her, letting her lean back against him. The warm water felt nearly as good as the feeling of her skin on his.

"Did you talk to Doc Rios?" He asked, tracing his hands slowly over her body.

"Mm hmm. He was a little surprised."

"I bet."

"He can do the ultrasound tomorrow, once he's had the equipment moved here."

"Good." He slid his hands up her torso, cupping her breasts, and feeling her press into his touch. "I could get used to this."

"We should find an apartment with a bathtub." She agreed.

"Mmm." He kept one hand on her breast, the other sliding downwards. "Good idea."

"We are getting an apartment together then?" She asked, then gasped as his fingers found their way between her legs.

"Mmm hmm. Of course." He stroked her gently, enjoying the soft moan it elicited from her.

"That feels good." She murmured. "Don't stop."

"Wasn't going to." He replied, caressing her breast as his other hand continued to stroke her sweet spot. He smiled at the way she arched a little, pressing against him, her breathing becoming faster. "I love making you come." He whispered in her ear, and was rewarded by her body jolting in his arms and a deep sigh as she did just that.

Once they eventually got out of the bath and started dressing, he remembered what she had been doing that morning.

"How was the meeting with Michener?"

"Ah." She turned to look at him. "He wants me flying around the country – and possibly the world – tracking new outbreaks etcetera." She sounded tired.

"Is that what you want?" He asked.

"Well, I don't want to be barefoot and pregnant." She snapped.

He couldn't help but laugh. "No one's going to take away your shoes." He replied.

She conceded with a smile. "Sorry. I just… I don't want to give up my work."

"I know. But do you want to spend your time flying all over the world? Leaving aside the pregnancy for a minute."

She shook her head. "No. I don't. I want to set up a base lab here, get a team together, really focus on spreading the cure and preventing further outbreaks, educating people, preparing in case of another virus." Her voice was becoming more passionate. "We could find other researchers who might still be alive, fly them here, pool our research and ideas-"

"Sounds like a good plan." He said. "Tell that to Michener. Someone else can do the flying around and report back, right?"

She looked worried. "You want me to tell the President no?"

"What's he going to do? Fire you?" He smoothed his thumb over her frowning forehead. "The man gave you a pardon, his eternal gratitude, and pretty much thinks you walk on water."

She laughed a little bit. "Okay. I'll tell him."

"Good."

"What are you going to do next?" She asked. "Have you spoken to Tom?"

"You mean the Chief of Naval Operations?" He couldn't manage to say it without a slight smirk. "Yeah, last night. He offered me the James. Once she's out of dry dock. Sail the world, distribute the cure." Rachel's face registered shock, and he quickly added, "I turned it down!"

"You did?" She asked.

"I told you." He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm doing it differently this time. You, me, this one." He nodded towards her stomach. "That apartment with a really big tub."

"So what will you do, if you're not going back to sea?"

"Thought I'd talk to Michener about a desk job. Something in law enforcement maybe." He tried to look enthusiastic, but after the interrogation earlier, it was hard.

"And that would make you happy?" She still looked worried.

"Don't know. Haven't talked to him yet. There'll be something." He paused. "Or I'll train up new recruits for the service, I'd be good at that." That one made him smile.

"I can see that." She smiled back.

"Me too. And I can come home nights, be with you."

She nodded. "I'd like that. You can help me in and out of that tub when I'm the size of a house."

He laughed. "Can't wait, sweetheart, I really can't."


	18. Home

_Author's note: S3 isn't showing here in the UK yet, so my depiction of how things are organised in St Louis is totally AU. For obvious reasons (I've read a couple of spoilers!), this story couldn't have closely followed the S3 timeline anyway, but I'm not ruling out including elements of it once I've seen it. In the meantime, I'm making this world up as I go along…_

 _Thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. You're all awesome._

 **Chapter 18 - Home**

"How far along do you think you are?" Doc Rios asked, and Mike kept his eyes firmly on Rachel's face rather than whatever was going on below her waist.

"It can't be much more than six weeks, at the most." She replied.

"Any symptoms?"

"I threw up my breakfast yesterday."

Mike frowned. "You didn't tell me that."

"I forgot." She squeezed his hand.

"Anything else?" Rios asked.

She shook her head. "Tiredness maybe, but it's hard to tell if that's pregnancy or just..."

He nodded. "Okay... Let's have a look here." He kept focus on the screen, but all Mike could see was grey and black static. "There we are..." He pointed to something that looked like a dot in the sea of black and grey. "Too early to see a heartbeat, but you're definitely pregnant. We'll scan again in a fortnight, should be able to see the heartbeat by then, get a more accurate date."

Mike only realised when Rachel winced that he was gripping her hand like a vice. "Sorry." He muttered.

"You've done this before of course, XO." Rios said, and it was Mike's turn to wince.

The doc turned to Rachel. "I'm sure you know the protocol: plenty of rest, good food, try to avoid stress. Probably slightly easier now we're on land, but just do what you can. I'm working with some of the people here to establish what kind of medical care is available. I'll try to find a OB who can take over as soon as possible, but until then, I'm sure we can manage between us."

Rachel nodded, but her face was still fixed on the screen.

They were both quiet as they left the makeshift exam room, and Mike couldn't quite read Rachel's expression.

"You okay?" He asked.

"I just... It's strange." She paused. "It didn't quite feel real until now. But seeing it... This is really happening." She was starting to smile.

Mike hesitated for a minute. "What the doc said in there- He's wrong. I never did that before." He admitted.

"What, the ultrasound? Never?" She sounded surprised, and he supposed she had the right to be.

"Never made it to the appointments for my eldest, and then for the other two I was at sea. Christine and I… They were shore leave babies, if you see what I mean." He swallowed. "I told you, I didn't do it right."

She grabbed his hand. "Is it terrible that that actually makes me feel better?"

He barked with laughter. "Probably. But it makes me feel better that it makes you feel better. So what does that say about me?"

She leaned her body into his. "We're in this together?" She suggested with a slight smile.

He put his arm around her. "Yeah, let's go with that."

A couple of apartment buildings had been identified as accommodation for the crew of the Nathan James, and the officers had been invited to take first look at the rather luxurious one that had been cleared for them. Since Tom was flying his family in, they'd already agreed he'd take the penthouse, but Mike wanted to check the place out before definitely accepting the apartment allocated to himself and Rachel. He particularly wanted to check the security arrangements, because however much he might pretend to Rachel that he'd relaxed on the subject, he really hadn't.

"So we're going to be living below Tom and next door to Tex, and possibly above Danny and Kara." Rachel commented as they looked around the two bedroom apartment, which had good proportions, if very basic furniture.

"Much like being on the James." He agreed, noting the reinforced windows with approval.

She laughed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm relieved. I don't want to say goodbye yet."

"You won't have to, at least for a while. But once the ship is out of dry dock and people start being allocated to new posts, even new cities, things will change. That's military life." He shrugged. "So what do you think?" He asked, gesturing around them.

"I like it." She replied. "I like the bath tub." She smirked a little and he couldn't resist kissing her.

"Tex next door?" He checked.

"That's what the list said." She shot him a glance. "Problem?"

"No, it's a good thing. Extra security."

"Ah." She nodded. "Are you going to put me under house arrest for my own good?"

"It's not a joke." He said quietly.

The smile faded from her face as she looked at him. She stepped close and put her hands on his shoulders. "I'm sorry. It's not a joke, you're right. But I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

He sighed. "Assuming Michener agrees your plan, the lab will have to be in this sector anyway, it's where all of the government and military will be, and you'll need that security. So no, you won't be under house arrest, but I want you to have the right protection. Not just because you're my... whatever, but because you're Rachel Scott, saviour of mankind."

She shuddered. "I'm really not liking that description."

"Me neither, but it's not going to go away."

She pressed her face into his chest for a moment. When she raised her head, she was smiling again. "On a lighter note, can we agree a mutually acceptable term for whatever we are, because it's starting to get awkward."

He chuckled reluctantly. "First things first, we're accepting the apartment, yes?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Utilitarian furniture and all."

"Great." He pulled her down onto the rather hard grey sofa. "This is our couch then. So let's sit on the couch and discuss it."

She laughed. "Okay... Boyfriend?"

"I'm too old to be a boyfriend. Partner?" He tried.

"We're not a law firm. Lover?"

"You want to introduce me to people as your lover?"

"Okay, maybe not." She grimaced. "Other half?"

He made a face. "Hate that."

"Well, you suggest something."

He started to snigger as he recalled a term he'd heard his daughter use. "Baby momma?"

Rachel sputtered with laughter and whacked him on the arm. He pretended to wince, then grabbed her and kissed her. She swung her leg over his, so she was kneeling over his lap, and kissed him back. He held her waist and deepened the kiss, pulling her tight against him.

"What are you doing?" He murmured against her lips.

"Christening the couch." She replied, and kissed him again.

He was just about to start unbuttoning her shirt when he heard the sound of the door opening, and a familiar voice saying, "Woah, you ever put her down?"

Rachel quickly swung off his lap, and Mike gave Tex a look. "You ever knock?"

Tex held up his hands. "I was just being neighbourly, wanted to tell you that the boxes from the James have arrived downstairs."

Mike could see Rachel blushing out of the corner of his eye. "We were just-" He stopped abruptly as he realised that there was pretty much nothing to be said that wouldn't provide ammunition for an off colour joke.

"How's your apartment, Tex?" Rachel asked.

He nodded. "Good. Kathleen likes it, that's what matters. She's got the bigger bedroom of course."

Rachel smiled. "Of course. She's a lovely girl, you know."

"I do know. All credit to her mother on that one." He scratched at his beard. "Anyway, you need a hand moving anything in?"

Mike shook his head. "I think we got it."

"Well then I'll leave you to your…" He smirked, "Whatever it is you were doing."

When the door shut behind him, Mike turned to Rachel. "That door needs to be kept locked."

She nodded. "We will. But there is security downstairs and outside, you know that?"

"Yeah." But he still wasn't sure it was enough.

"Mike," She swung herself onto his lap again and took his face in her hands. "You are doing everything you can to keep us safe. You are."

He saw the concern in her eyes and sighed. "I know. I just… I can't have anything happen to you. Not after…" He didn't want to say the words, but she said them for him.

"Not after your family. I know, I really do. And I also love that you want to protect me, and the baby, but we have to trust people as well. We have to believe that we can make this city work, that we can get things back to some sort of normal. And we can't do that locked away."

He couldn't help smiling at the passion in her voice. "Why'd I have to fall in love with the saviour of the world?" He asked.

"Because she loves you too?" She replied.

He answered by kissing her, wrapping his arms tight around her. "You still want to christen the couch?" He asked softly.

She nodded, and he started to unbutton her shirt, kissing her neck, her collarbones, as he exposed more skin.

"On second thoughts…" He held her tight and stood up, sliding a hand under her to secure her as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

She laughed, "Where are we going?"

"I'd rather christen the bed." He replied, carrying her through to the bedroom and dropping her onto the bed before quickly locking the door. "Tex is not invited." He added.

She was still giggling as he joined her on the bed, undoing the rest of her shirt buttons. As always, he enjoyed the taste of her skin under his tongue, but something was niggling at him after seeing the ultrasound.

"Are you sure we're still okay to do this? I mean, with the baby?"

"Of course!" She laughed softly. "We already have been for quite a few weeks, by the looks of it. Nothing has to change in that department. Well, until I get too huge for you to want to anymore."

"Never going to happen." He said bluntly. "You can be the size of a destroyer and I'll still want to do this to you." He undid her bra and slid his hands over her breasts.

"We'll see." She replied, pressing into his touch.

"No we won't. It's a fact." He dropped her shirt and bra over the edge of the bed, then bent his head and took a nipple in his mouth, teasing gently with his teeth and hearing her breathing catch.

She pushed him onto his back and straddled him, unbuttoning his shirt and running her hands over his chest. "Even when I can't sit on top of you without crushing you?"

"It would take a lot to crush me." He held her waist and rolled them again so he was above her. "And there's always this position." He knelt up to remove her jeans and panties, and shed the rest of his own clothes for good measure. "Or others we can come up with." He leant back over her and kissed her.

"Promise?" The tone of her voice made him pause and look at her properly. Her eyes held something close to fear.

"Of course." He stroked her cheek. "Are you seriously worried about that?"

She shrugged a little. "I don't know…"

"Well, don't be. Of all the things we might have to worry about, that's not one of them." He kissed her again, and felt her hands come up to stroke his back.

He deepened the kiss and pushed against her gently, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he slid inside her. He moved slowly, his hand still caressing her cheek and his lips still locked with hers. He'd meant what he'd said, he couldn't imagine ever not wanting to do this.

As Rachel started to tremble beneath him, he held her tightly and rolled onto his back, placing her above him. "Your turn sweetheart." He murmured against her mouth, and she sat up, making him groan as she rode him slowly, his hand reaching between her legs to stroke her sweet spot.

She gasped, "Oh god, Mike…" He felt her squeeze tight around him, and then she threw her head back and cried out, and the sight and feel of it sent him over the edge, holding her hips as he bucked up into her.

"Rachel!" He shouted, and she fell forward and kissed him as he lost himself inside her.

"I hope the walls aren't too thin." She murmured as she lay still on top of him, his hands stroking her back.

"I don't care." He replied. "Tex can wear headphones."

She laughed softly. "Maybe he'll find someone to make noise with." She raised her head and looked at him. "Tom, too."

Mike nodded slowly. "Maybe."

"Are you going to have to tell him? About the baby?"

"Yeah. I turned down the James, I owe him an explanation."

"I'm sorry." She said softly.

He wrapped his arms more tightly around her. "Don't ever say that. This is a good thing. Don't apologise for a good thing. Tom will be fine." But even as he said it, he wasn't sure he believed it.


	19. Show and Tell

_Author's note: I'm going to be otherwise engaged for the next few days so there won't be any updates after this one until next week, but rest assured there's plenty of story still to come!_

 _Please keep reading, reviewing, following and favouriting!_

 **Chapter 19 – Show and Tell**

"Nice office." Despite his apprehension about the forthcoming conversation, Mike was trying not to smirk as he took a seat opposite the new CNO.

Tom made a face. "I didn't ask for this." He looked around at the ornate furniture, rich rugs, and numerous portraits and ornaments. "Believe me."

"Is your apartment the same?" The smirk was breaking through now, and Tom laughed slightly.

"No, the apartment is a little more functional. Similar to yours I'm guessing." He paused. "I heard Rachel is staying with you?"

Mike was tempted to correct him that Rachel was living with him, but he figured that would become apparent when he shared their other news. "Yeah." He changed the subject by asking, "How are the kids settling in?"

"It's an adjustment. They're still dealing with everything that's happened." Tom looked tired. "Having Dad around helps. They… they have nightmares."

"They've been through a lot." Mike thought of his own children, and it was as though Tom read his mind.

"Dad stopped by your house a few times. I asked him to. There's never been any sign-"

Mike shook his head and cut him off. "I know. I left a radio, instructions… Christine might have been angry with me, but not so angry she wouldn't have let me know if they were okay."

"There's still hope, Mike." Tom said quietly. "Once we get communications back up and running…"

"Yeah." He took a breath and moved his family back into the quiet corner of his mind where he had to keep them. "So how's the new job going?"

Tom accepted the change of subject. "It'd be better if my former XO hadn't turned down his first command." He replied. "I'd like to discuss that properly, understand your reasons. See if I can change your mind."

"You can't." He steeled himself. "I was honoured to be offered the James, but I need something land based, from a personal perspective."

Tom nodded slowly. "I don't think you're alone in feeling that way, but I need you to put it aside. You're the only person qualified to take command."

"With respect, that's not something I can do." He realised he had to say it, "I can't leave Rachel right now."

"Mike, that shooter getting in to the ball, that shook us all up, believe me." Tom hesitated. "God knows, I don't know what I-, what we'd do if anything happened to her. But I promise you, I will make sure she is completely protected. Whatever she needs."

It felt as though Tom was making this even more difficult, however inadvertently, with his talk of Mike's family, and now the allusion to his feelings for Rachel. Their friendship was barely back on track, and Mike knew he was about to risk it all over again.

"It's not just that. Although I appreciate you saying it." He took a deep breath. "Rachel's pregnant. We're having a baby. So I need to be here."

Tom looked almost as poleaxed as he had when Mike had told him about himself and Rachel the first time. "She's pregnant?"

Mike nodded. "It's early days. Very early." He added, "It wasn't planned." And then he felt bad, so amended it with, "But we're happy about it."

Tom still looked shocked. "I just- I wasn't expecting that." He stared at the desk. "You know that I-" He stopped, and Mike resisted the temptation to fill the silence. "I want to be happy for you." Tom said quietly. "But that might take a while."

Mike braced himself. "I knew you had feelings for her." He felt like an asshole, but it needed to be said. "I should have-"

Tom held up his hand and straightened in his chair. "So, Commander Slattery," He said, "If you're not going to captain the James, what is your plan?"

Mike sat up straighter himself, adapting to the change of mood even as he cursed himself for his approach. "Well, sir, I think it's fair to say our armed forces are a little depleted in numbers, so I figure we're going to need to recruit and train some new personnel pretty quickly. I'd like to be the one to do that."

Tom nodded slowly. "Alright. If I can't have you in command of the Nathan James, that's not a bad second option. I suspect you'll have some volunteers to help you from amongst the crew, and as we re-establish communications, we'll be able to ascertain the position of our forces in other parts of the country." He paused. "Let me think about it, talk it through with the President, then we can start putting some plans together."

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."

"You might not say that when you're drilling a hundred undisciplined kids who are only in it for the free food." Tom managed the ghost of a smile.

Mike wasn't quite sure how to feel as he walked the few blocks back from the new government headquarters to the apartment building. On the one hand, Tom had been more receptive than he'd expected to the idea of his taking a training role, but on the other hand, he was so clearly struggling with the notion of Rachel's pregnancy, and presumably the cementing of their status as a couple, and he had a horrible feeling he'd made it worse by openly acknowledging Tom's feelings for her.

As he let himself in to the apartment, he heard music coming from the bedroom, and singing. Terrible, off key singing.

 _"I tried hard to mend my wicked ways!"_

Stifling a laugh, he cat footed down the hallway, pushing the door open just a crack to see Rachel jumping around like she was at a rock concert, the clothes she'd been in the process of hanging in the fitted wardrobe now abandoned on the bed as she sang along to music coming from an iPod.

" _I tried and I tried and I tried and I tried!"_

He pressed his lips together for as long as he could, but as she hit a particularly high note, or rather didn't, the laughter escaped.

She gasped and spun around, only to relax when she saw him. "Are you spying on me?"

He was laughing too hard to answer for a moment. "You have so many talents," He managed in the end, "But singing is not one of them."

She started to laugh herself, "I concede on that one. But I like it."

The song ended, and the next one was slower, softer. He held out his hand and as she took it, he spun her and brought her into a dance hold. He kissed her, then started to sway slightly to the music with her in his arms.

"What is this anyway?" He nodded towards the iPod.

"Garbage."

He laughed again, "I thought you liked it?!"

"It's the name of the band! From my angry college years."

"This one isn't too angry." He noted.

" _I'm not like all the other girls..._ " Rachel was singing along again and he shook his head.

"That's true enough." He smiled and she melted into him a little. "Any reason for the good mood?"

"The President has accepted my suggestion about running a lab here." She smiled up at him. "And this apartment is nice. And the sun is shining. And you know what? Things have been a lot worse."

"Well, I talked to Tom-" He felt her stiffen in his arms, and stroked a hand over her back reassuringly, "And he's good with me taking a training role."

"Really?" She asked, her voice almost a whisper.

He nodded. "Really."

"What about the baby?" Her face was so worried that he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. She was happy right now, and he didn't want to take that away.

"I think he was a little shocked, but he was fine about it. Good, actually."

She let out a sigh of relief and smiled up at him. "Thank god." She said, and he felt a pang of guilt for lying when she so clearly trusted him. "Oh, something else – I threw up my breakfast again this morning."

He pushed the guilt away and laughed, "And that makes you happy?"

"In this context, yes."

"How do you feel now?"

"Fine, good. So far this baby only seems to object to breakfast. Lunch was just fine."

Still half dancing with her, he took his hand from her waist and laid it over her stomach instead. "Good to hear."

She nestled her head into his chest. "I still love it when you do that." She said softly.

"I know." He stroked her stomach gently. "I love doing it."

"In a few months' time we'll be able to feel him move."

"Him?"

She shrugged. "Or her."

"Guess we'll find that out too?"

She nodded. "I'd like to know. A while to go yet though." The song ended and she leaned over and silenced the iPod. "The next album on that playlist is super angry, I'm not going to put you through it."

"Hey, I might like it!"

She cocked her head to one side. "If I had to guess... Springsteen, right?"

He laughed, "Yeah, okay, you got me."

She smiled, and reached up to kiss him. "I suppose afternoons like this are going to be in short supply once we start our new jobs."

"I'm going to make sure I'm home nights, but yeah."

"We should make the most of it then." She kissed him again and he smiled against her mouth.

"I like your thinking Doctor Scott."

"Why thank you Commander Slattery." She kissed him once more. "You can choose some music, I'll be right back." She grabbed something from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.

He picked up the iPod and started flicking through it. He didn't recognise most of bands, but with relief he spotted a Rat Pack compilation, and pressed play.

"Nice." Rachel approved from behind him.

"Grew up with my mom listening to this stuff-" His voice died as he turned to see her standing there in a sheer lacy camisole and tiny panties.

"I had a professor who liked to play it in the lab." She replied, a slight smile playing at the edges of her lips at the effect her appearance was having on him.

"You had that... On the ship?" He managed, his eyes glued to her barely covered breasts.

"Never know when I might need it."

He swallowed. "Come here."

She walked slowly towards him, and he appreciated every second of it. He kissed her slowly, his hands on her waist, fingers dipping under the hem of the camisole to touch her skin, making her shiver a little and moan softly into his mouth.

He guided her backwards towards the bed, tipping her gently onto it and laying down beside her. He traced a fingertip around her nipple through the sheer lace, and she gasped. He bent his head and used his tongue this time, pressing through the thin fabric, teasing her, and she let out a groan, arching up against his mouth.

"What were you going to do?" He asked softly, "Wear this to breakfast in the ward room?"

"Would it have got your attention?" She asked, panting a little as he cupped her breasts in his hands and moved his mouth from one to the other.

"I would have wanted to take you there and then." He answered truthfully, biting her nipple gently through the lace and making her whimper.

"If only I'd known, we could have started doing this much sooner…" She tugged at his tshirt and he leaned back to pull it over his head.

"You didn't need fancy underwear, you just needed to ask." He replied, sliding a hand under the camisole and up to touch her bare skin.

"Oh god!" She gasped as his hand cupped her breast. "If only I'd known." She said again. She tried to reach for his pants, but he pushed her gently back onto the mattress.

"Wait a second," He paused, his hand stilling, "When exactly are we talking? After the Vyerni?"

"Yes, sure." She reached for him again, but he caught her hand in his.

"Or earlier?"

"Are you using your interrogation techniques on me?" She asked, pulling against his hold. "Because those weren't the techniques I had in mind."

He released her hand and slid his own between her legs, caressing her through the tiny panties. "I'm just curious."

She moaned. "Not fair!"

"Never said I was going to be." He replied, slipping his fingers under the fabric, stroking along her wet cleft.

"You said it yourself!" She capitulated, "'I've got eyes.' Well so do I. And I like people who stand up to me. Which you did from day one, pretty much."

He smiled and circled his fingertip on her sweet spot. "Duly noted." He bent his head and kissed her as she arched into his touch.

"Now can you please stop questioning me and take your pants off?" She murmured.

"Yes, ma'am."


	20. Drunken Sailor

_Author's note: I'm back! And with a chapter that barely qualifies for an M rating, unless men expressing feelings is something you find disturbing… In all seriousness, I figured this is something that had to happen at some point, and in my timeline, I figured it would happen something like this._

 _Thank you all for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 **Chapter 20 – Drunken Sailor**

At the first bang on the front door, Mike was fully awake and alert. Carefully uncurling himself from his now habitual sleeping position – wrapped around Rachel with his body between hers and the door – he checked the illuminated dial of his watch to see it was 1am.

Rachel stirred. "What's happening?" She asked groggily.

"Not sure. Stay there."

He pulled on a pair of pyjama pants and eased into the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind him.

"Who is it?" He called out.

"Mike, it's Jed. Tom's in a mess, I can't let the kids see him."

Mike opened the door to see Tom's dad. "What happened?"

Jed shook his head. "I don't know, but he's drunk as hell, couldn't get his key in the lock, it woke the kids and scared the life out of them. They're so jumpy..."

"Jesus. Go back to the kids, I'll deal with Tom." He rubbed his face and went back to the bedroom. Rachel was sitting up in bed.

"What is it?"

"Tom's drunk. He scared the kids trying to get into the apartment. I'm going to bring him here, let him sleep it off. " He switched his pyjama pants for jeans and a t-shirt. "Stay in here, okay?" He reached down and stroked her worried face. "It's okay, I promise. I won't be long."

Tom was slumped in the hallway outside his apartment, stinking of scotch, and Mike was momentarily reminded of rescuing Rachel from the same position that night on board ship.

"Hey buddy." Mike manoeuvred his arm under Tom's shoulders and helped him stand. "Let's get you to an uncomfortable couch."

"I'm going home!" Tom protested.

"No, you're not. Your kids don't need to see you like this." Mike supported him down the wide stairway between floors. "You need to sleep it off."

"While you sleep with Rachel." Tom muttered.

Mike gritted his teeth and hefted Tom through the door of the apartment and into the living room.

"Couch." He said shortly, pushing the drunken CNO onto it. "I'll make some coffee."

He tried to keep his temper as he made the coffee. He wanted to look in on Rachel, but he didn't know what to tell her right now, especially as he'd lied to her a few days ago about Tom's reaction to the pregnancy.

When he took the coffee in, he found Tom slumped on the sofa with his head in his hands.

"Here." He put the mug of coffee down on the table. "Drink that, sober up. Then you can sleep it off. I'll fetch you a blanket."

"Mike-" Tom looked up at him. "I lost my wife."

The anger drained out of him as he saw the look in Tom's eyes. "I know, I'm sorry."

Tom continued as though he hadn't spoken. "I thought Rachel and I…"

Mike sat down heavily in the armchair. This was not a conversation he'd wanted to have, not like this.

"I thought," Tom continued, "I thought when I was ready, we would... I was wrong. She didn't feel like that. Not about me. She felt like that about you."

"Yeah." Mike felt like he was the one who needed a drink now.

"On the ship, I thought maybe you were just… But she's living here, isn't she? You're having a baby." His head fell forward, and he mumbled something that sounded like, "Tall, genius baby…"

Mike felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Rachel. She was wearing his pyjama pants and one of his sweatshirts, both much too big for her, and something about it made his chest twinge.

"You said he was okay about it." She murmured, so quietly only Mike could hear her.

He shook his head slightly and murmured back. "You were so happy, I couldn't-"

Tom's head jerked up. "Rachel! Doctor Scott! I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here. You don't want me… here. You don't want me anywhere." He let out a short laugh.

"I'm sorry, Tom." Rachel said quietly. "I'm sorry if I did something to make you think-" She broke off as Tom started to shake his head. He visibly tried to pull himself together.

"You didn't do anything." He reached for the coffee, but stopped before he picked it up. He rubbed his face instead and then looked back to Mike. "I want to be happy for you. You should have this. It's good for you. I'm just… What do I do now? Now that we're 'home'," His face almost contorted at the word. "And I have the kids upstairs, my kids with no mother, who wake up screaming, and I can't promise them everything will be okay, because I don't know if-" He make a choking noise and for a second Mike thought Tom was going to be sick, then he realised he was crying.

Tom slid off the sofa onto his knees, trying to cover his face with his hands, and before Mike could stop her, Rachel had crossed the room and bent over him, putting her arms around him. She pressed his head into her shoulder and Tom buried his face against her sweatshirt. Her eyes were locked with Mike's, and her face was stricken.

"Get Jed." She murmured, stroking Tom's head.

Mike was loath to leave her alone, but he reminded himself that it wasn't as though Tom would hurt her. As he let himself out of the apartment, Tex opened the door on the other side of the hall.

"A lot of coming and going for the early hours. Everything alright over there?" For once, his face was serious.

Mike hesitated. "Tom's in a bad way. I'm going to get Jed."

"Rachel with him?" Tex asked, immediately grasping the situation.

"Yeah."

"I'll get Jed, you go back in there. Kathleen's awake, we can watch the kids." He paused. "Probably had to happen sometime, gets us all in the end, right?"

Mike nodded. "Thanks."

He reflected on Tex's words as he went back into the apartment. Maybe he was right. Maybe after what they'd been through, all of them had to hit a breaking point. He'd certainly hit his, and he'd been lucky enough to have Rachel wrapped around him when it happened, with the promise of a new baby and a second chance. What was going to pull Tom through?

Rachel was sat on the floor now, her arm around Tom's shoulders as she stroked his head, which was still buried in her shoulder as his body heaved with choking sobs. There were tears on her cheeks, and all Mike wanted to do was scoop her up and take her away from here. But at the same time, the tender way she was dealing with Tom made him feel fiercely proud.

He heard the front door opening and then Jed was there, his face falling at the sight of his son.

"Oh Tommy." He walked straight past Mike and crouched down in front of Tom and Rachel. "Oh son." He put his arms around Tom, and Rachel gently extricated herself, letting Jed take his weight.

As she walked back towards him, Mike could see how hard Rachel was trying not to cry. He pulled her close. "Come on, let's leave them." He murmured, guiding her out into the hallway and softly closing the door. Rachel buried her face in his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay." He said. "He'll be okay."

"What do we do?" She whispered.

"You should get some sleep. I'll keep an eye out, but I think Jed's got it from here." He echoed Tex, "Had to happen sometime."

She got into bed still wearing his pyjama pants and sweatshirt, and he lay on top of the blankets next to her, his arm around her as she pressed her face into his shoulder.

"Did I do something?" She asked softly. "Did I make him think that we…?"

"No. Not that I saw, no." He reassured her. "I think he needed something to hold onto." He added slowly. "I don't think it was about you so much, not really."

Her hand found his resting on his stomach, and she laced their fingers together. "I really do love you." She said. "Really."

"I know." He replied, and appreciated the certainty of it more than ever before. "I love you too."

"But don't ever lie to me again." She said, and the thread of steel in her tone made him wince.

"I won't." He said, and meant it.

He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he was aware of was the sound of the front door closing. Carefully sliding off the bed, letting Rachel's head slip from his shoulder onto the pillow, he went out into the hallway. It was light, and his watch told him it was just past 6am. The living room was empty, and there was no sign of anyone else in the apartment. He locked the front door and went back into the bedroom, shedding his clothes and climbing under the blankets this time, wrapping Rachel up in his arms before closing his eyes again.

Rachel had just finished throwing up her breakfast when the next knock on the front door came, and Mike cursed under his breath as he went to answer it. Communal living was fine on board ship, but this was getting ridiculous.

Tom stood in the doorway, looking tired but somehow lighter.

"Can I come in for a minute?" He asked, and Mike nodded, moving aside to let him past. "I wanted to apologise." He said, moving into the living room. "You shouldn't have had to deal with that last night. Especially not Rachel."

Mike sighed. "It's alright. How are you feeling now?"

"Tired. Hungover." Tom managed a half smile. "Better."

"You want a coffee or something?"

"I don't want to disturb you. Is Rachel okay?"

"She's fine." Mike hesitated, but then decided there was no point beating around the bush. "Morning sickness. I'll see if she's up to a visitor."

"She is." Rachel said, coming into the room. "How are you, Tom?"

Tom nodded. "Better. Really. I'm so sorry Rachel. For what I said and- Well, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She smiled slightly. "We've all been through a lot."

There was a moment of silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"So, ah, Ashley heard me talking to dad this morning, about the baby." Tom said, "Don't worry, I've told her it's a secret for now, but she wanted me to give you this." He reached into the carrier bag he was holding and pulled out a rather battered looking stuffed bear. "It was her favourite, when she was small. She thought the baby would like it."

Rachel took the bear, smoothing down its fur. "Thank you. That's really sweet." Mike watched her swallow back her emotions. "Maybe she can do some babysitting, when the time comes."

"I think she'd love that." Tom said quietly. "And I wanted to say… I really am happy for you. It's a good thing."

"Thank you." Rachel said again, and Mike nodded.

After Tom had left, Rachel sat on the sofa stroking the teddy bear, staring into space. Mike sat down beside her and put his hand over hers.

"Things need to get back to normal." She said quietly. "I need to get back to work. So do you, and Tom. We need structure. We need to try to move forward."

"We are moving forward." He took the bear from her and examined it. "Before you know it, there'll be a kid in here playing with this bear."

She smiled and leaned against him. "Yes there will."

"But you're right, about work. There's a city to rebuild. And a country."

"A whole world." She murmured, and he nodded in agreement.


	21. Questions

_Author's note: Special thanks for the lovely reviews for the last chapter, which felt risky but important to include in this story!_

 _As ever, I am grateful for reads, follows, favourites, and especially reviews! It means a lot to know that people are enjoying this story._

 **Chapter 21 - Questions**

Mike pushed his face into the back of Rachel's neck for a moment, ignoring the insistent beep of the alarm clock. His hand was cupped around the very slight bump of their twelve week pregnancy, and her back was pressed tight against his chest. He felt her stir and opened his eyes to see her reach out and slap the alarm off. He tightened his arms around her and kissed her shoulder.

"Mmm." She pressed back against him. "Good morning."

"Morning." He kissed her neck this time, gently nipping her. He slid his hand up to cup her breast. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous. Excited." She pushed back against him again. "Tense..." He heard the smile in her voice.

"Ah, release of tension needed?" He traced his thumb over her nipple.

"I think it's a necessity." She replied, turning over and smiling at him.

"Whatever the lady wants." He kissed her, drawing her close, running his hand down her back and reaching between her legs. She threw her leg over his, making space for his fingers to explore her. He stroked her gently, finding her sweet spot and making her shiver.

"Feel good?" He murmured, and she nodded as she kissed him.

He felt her hand tracing down his chest, making just a little space between them, and then her fingers encircled his hardness and he groaned. He kept his finger on her sweet spot while his thumb stroked gently in and out of her, and she matched his rhythm as she pumped him in her fist, slow and firm.

"I want you inside me." She whispered, and he groaned, as much at her words as the feeling of her hand on him. He rolled onto his back so she could straddle him, and she guided herself down onto him as he held her hips. She moaned, her eyes meeting his as she started to move. He reached between her legs to stroke her as she rocked on him.

"You're beautiful," He rasped, fighting the temptation to thrust up into her and take control.

She was moving a little faster now, starting to gasp, and he gave in and lifted his hips, driving up into her, making her cry out and throw her head back.

"Mike!" She cried out, "Please!"

He thrust again, keeping his thumb on her sweet spot, and she trembled. Twice more, and she shattered, clenching around him with a cry of satisfaction as he surrendered to the feeling of her, and the sight of her, and came hard, her name on his lips as he spilled himself inside her.

She fell forwards onto his chest, and he held her, stroking her back as they recovered.

"I love you," She murmured.

"I love you, sweetheart." He touched her face and she moved her head so she could look at him.

"You always know what I want." She said.

He nodded, then suddenly grinned. "Is that a hint that you need breakfast before we go?"

She laughed a little, "Maybe!"

The OB that Doc Rios had found had recommended waiting until now for a second ultrasound, and as they drove to the newly cleared hospital, Mike was starting to feel nervous. The last six weeks had seen huge transformation in St Louis, not least with the establishment of Rachel's new lab and the inception of a military training camp under his command. They had started to settle into a tentative routine, and there was a growing sense of optimism in the city.

But there had been nights when he'd woken in a cold sweat from dreams about threats to Rachel and the baby, and nights when he'd been woken by her screaming in her sleep and had to wake her from nightmares that she claimed not to remember. The rational part of him knew that this was part of adjusting, dealing with what they'd all been through, but he couldn't shake the worry.

He tried to smile reassuringly at Rachel as the OB, Dr Patrick, rubbed gel onto her slightly rounded stomach. Her face was a little pale and she gripped his hand tightly.

"Here we go…" Dr Patrick kept the display screen turned away from them as she started the ultrasound, and Mike kept his eyes on Rachel's.

"It's going to be okay." He murmured, and she nodded and tried to smile. They'd agreed not to tell anyone about the pregnancy until after this scan, and although they'd reasoned it out as the normal and sensible thing to do, Mike knew that they were both secretly terrified something would be wrong.

"Okay," Dr Patrick smiled and turned the screen towards them. "Everything is looking good, so I'll talk you through it."

Although he knew the doctor was still talking, Mike wasn't taking in a word as he stared at the image on the screen. Unlike the dot of six weeks ago, this was a discernible baby, moving slightly in grainy grey and white, and as the doctor turned up the volume on the monitor, he heard his son or daughter's heartbeat, clear and strong.

Tears were running silently down Rachel's cheeks as she stared at the screen, as transfixed as he was, and he had to swallow down a lump in his own throat.

"We'll scan again at around twenty weeks." Dr Patrick said quietly, "And at that point we should be able to see the sex, if you want to know. But for now, we're good. Do you want me to see if I can get a picture for you?" She asked as she wiped the gel from Rachel's stomach. "I haven't tried it with this equipment yet, we're still getting fully set up." She paused, "Not that I need to tell you that, of course. It's thanks to you that we're here at all."

Rachel dragged her eyes from the monitor and smiled at the doctor, and Mike managed to do the same. Then as she left the room, they both looked back at the now static picture on the screen.

"Look at that." Rachel said softly, putting her hand over her stomach. "That's him. Or her."

He laid his hand over hers. "Perfect." He couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment.

Mike carefully buttoned the thin piece of paper containing the fuzzy image of their baby into the breast pocket of his uniform shirt before opening the car door for Rachel.

"Home?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Lab for me, please. The equipment from the universities should be arriving today, and I want to supervise."

He bit back the instinct to argue, reminding himself that despite his fears, Rachel hadn't returned to the pattern of working twenty hour days that had characterised her time on the Nathan James. In fact, they'd both been making it home for dinner almost every night.

"So, are we going to tell people now?" He asked. "About the baby?"

"Well, Tom already knows, and Jed, and Bertrise of course, after she caught me throwing up into my office waste bin. I'd like to tell Kara, since we're in a similar position…" She paused.

"What is it?"

"No, nothing. Just- Well, it's a little more straightforward for Kara and Danny."

He glanced over at her, but she was staring straight ahead. "What do you mean?"

She sighed. "I mean, they were a couple before all this, and yes, they broke the rules, but they were both single and now they're getting married. You and I are a little more complicated."

He felt that familiar twist of guilt in his gut, and pushed it away. "I've said it once, I'll say it again. We fell in love, that just happened, and nothing anyone else thinks means a goddamn thing."

"I know, and I agree, I do. But at the same time… There are questions."

He shrugged. "Let them ask. I don't care."

She only managed a half smile in response, and it was only once she'd got out of the car at the lab and he was on his way to the training camp that he realised it might not be other people's questions she was talking about. It might be her own.


	22. Answers

_Author's note: Sometimes it's the toughest conversations that really define a relationship…_

 _A million thankyous for the reads, reviews, follows and favourites. I love these two, and I'm so glad you do too._

 **Chapter 22 – Answers**

"They were your questions, weren't they?" Mike asked. He'd managed to hold off while they ate dinner, but Rachel was quieter than usual, and had come home later, and he didn't want to let it sit unsaid. That was one of the things that had killed his marriage, and he'd promised himself that he wouldn't make those mistakes again.

She started a little, but then replied, "Well, I'm sure plenty of other people will have questions too, but yes. I suppose I have some." She didn't quite meet his eye as she stood and started to clear their plates from the table.

"Leave that." He put his hand over her wrist. "Please."

She shook her head slightly, but sat down again. "It's probably just hormones." She said.

"Don't do that." He said quietly. "It's okay. We can talk about it."

She looked up at him. "Can we? Really? Because the question I want to ask is a really hard one, and things have been so good…"

"Ask." His gut was twisting again, because he had a feeling he knew what she was going to say.

"What happens if your family come back?" She almost whispered. "What happens to us?"

He closed his eyes for a second as the familiar flash of pain ratcheted through him. "That's not going to happen." He said automatically, the response he'd conditioned himself to give when anyone asked that, even himself.

"I know you still hope they're alive." She said. "Of course you do. And they could be."

He fought the instinct to shake his head, to deny it, to shove the thought back into the dark corner of his mind. The place where he kept it, because the one thing worse than his girls being dead was the thought of them lost, helpless and in pain, and not being there to prevent it.

"Lucas died from the virus." He said, trying to keep his voice even. "Christine nursed him, the girls were there. They couldn't avoid exposure. If they were immune, we'd have found them." It was an equation he'd worked through in his head a thousand times, but never spoken aloud before.

He felt Rachel's hand on his shoulder and realised she'd shifted her chair next to his. "It's not as simple as that." She said, "You've seen enough to know that, and I've studied this virus enough to know it too." She paused, "As we start rebuilding, people are coming back to the cities, people who got out somewhere remote and stayed away. That could have happened. They could be out there." She paused again, then added, "And I think you have to find a way to accept that."

He shoved his chair back and stood up, rubbing his hands over his face. "Okay, so then what?" It came out more harshly than he'd intended, but the guilt and fear were twisting together into anger and he wanted this conversation to stop, even though he knew it couldn't.

"Then I suppose I need to know, if they came back… What happens to me and the baby?" She was whispering again, and as he glanced at her he saw that she looked almost afraid. He felt the anger drain out of him, and he held out his arms.

"Come here. Please." She stood up tentatively and moved towards him, and he wrapped her in his arms. "I'm sorry." He said, "I'm sorry." She nodded against his chest and he rested his chin on the top of her head. "I love my girls." He said quietly. "If they're alive, I want them here. With me. But that doesn't change the fact that I love you and our baby, and we're a family too. Nothing can change that."

Her voice was muffled against his shirt as she replied, "What about your wife?"

He sighed, and almost lied, but then he remembered his promise that he wouldn't. "We were together a long time, we had three children. I'd want to take care of her, with the girls, make sure she was okay." He felt Rachel trembling slightly and lifted his head from hers, putting his hand under her chin and tipping her face so he could look at her, meeting her eyes. "But our marriage was done before the Arctic. Long before. That doesn't mean I don't care about her, doesn't mean I don't feel responsible, but if you're worried I'd want to pick up where we left off? Not going to happen. Okay?"

She nodded slowly. "But we sat on that couch, and we couldn't find a word to describe what we are."

He hesitated, then risked it, "I thought you were my 'baby momma'?" For a second he thought he'd misjudged it horribly, but then she laughed, and he wrapped her up in his arms again. "Rachel, just because we don't have a word, doesn't mean we aren't what we are."

"I know." She said quietly. "But…"

"I mean, would you actually want to marry me?" He asked, "Is that what we're talking about?"

She went very still, and suddenly pulled back a little and looked up at him again. "I'm confused by the question." She said, her tone sounding carefully neutral, and he realised that this time he really had misjudged it. "I wasn't trying to demand a proposal, if that's what you mean." A hint of ice had crept in now.

"Fuck, that's not- I meant-" She was stepping back now, and he knew he had to find a way to fix this. "I would marry you in a heartbeat." He blurted, and she stopped moving. "I would." He said more calmly. "But I can't ask you like this, can I?"

"I don't know." She said softly. "What was it you said, on our first and only date? Pre-apocalypse rules?" There was just the hint of a smile ghosting around the corners of her mouth.

He half smiled back. "I'm not asking you like this. It's not right." He cupped her face in his hand and looked right at her. "But I am going to ask you, at some point. When it is right. Okay?"

"Okay." She let out a long breath. "And if you do-"

"When I do." He interrupted.

She smiled. "When you do… I'll say yes." She said softly.

He kissed her then, softly and slowly, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed closer. He pulled her tight against him, deepening the kiss, and allowed himself just one moment of wishing he'd been able to ask her that question, ask her properly, before setting it aside and concentrating on having her in his arms.

"Is the door locked?" She murmured.

"Yeah, always. Why?"

"We never did christen that couch…" He felt her smile that naughty smile against his lips, and lifted her, pivoting away from the table and dropping onto the couch with her straddling his lap.

"Excellent idea." He murmured, lifting her shirt over her head and undoing her bra while he kissed her again. Her breasts felt fuller and heavier in his hands, and she moaned slightly as he caressed her. Her fingers were under the hem of his t-shirt, and he helped her to pull it over his head before returning his attention to her breasts. She was wriggling impatiently on his lap and he chuckled just a little before dropping his hands to unbutton her jeans. "You should try wearing a skirt again some time." He said, "Speeds things up…"

She jumped off his lap and peeled off her jeans and panties as he removed the rest of his clothes. "If you ever take me on a second date, I'll wear a skirt again."

"Deal." He pulled her back into his lap and kissed her as she rubbed against him, making him groan a little. "God, you feel good."

She lifted herself and took him inside her, moving slowly, "So do you…" It was almost a moan. He captured her face in his hands and pulled her in for another kiss, moving with her, feeling her tight and slick around him. He couldn't imagine ever tiring of this, of it ever becoming routine. Their physical connection anchored them too much, fed so strongly into the emotional one.

She was gasping now, squeezing around him, and he kissed her again, pushing up into her a little harder, until he felt her shatter and was able to let go himself, thrusting hard as he came. He held her tight as her head dropped onto his shoulder, and he stroked her back while their breathing steadied.

"I'm glad we talked." She whispered.

"So am I." He kissed the top of her head.


	23. Two's Company

_Author's note: In which I attempt to answer the question I'm sure you've all been asking: just how good is the post-apocalyptic dating market? And it's not a short answer, so grab a drink and settle in for the longest chapter yet…_

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 **Chapter 23 – Two's Company**

"So apparently, someone has opened up a restaurant."

Mike raised his eyebrows at the seemingly random change of subject. They were in Tom's office, looking through proposals for the new military training scheme, and he couldn't quite see how that fitted in.

"I thought maybe we should go." Tom continued, "Show our support of people trying to get things back to normal."

"You want us to go out to dinner together?" Mike couldn't help making a face, but where he expected Tom to laugh, the CNO looked awkward instead.

"Kelly Tophet's coming into town. She's thinking about moving here with Ava. She wanted to have dinner with me, and I thought the four of us... Well, Rachel would like to see her, right?"

Mike bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. "I'm sure." He said neutrally.

The neutrality evaporated as soon as he got home to Rachel. She was in the bedroom changing clothes, and he leaned against the doorframe and pretended not to watch as she stripped off her shirt.

"Kelly Tophet's coming into town, Tom wants us to ride shotgun at dinner, because she's asked him out and he hasn't dated in fifteen years."

Rachel snorted as she unfastened her jeans. "And that's what he said, is it?"

"It is what it is. He said he thought it would be nice for you to see Kelly."

She winced, but he couldn't tell if it was from the suggestion, or the sight of the red marks on her stomach from her waistband. "She once told Quincy I was the type of woman who would eat her own young." She turned sideways to the mirror and ran a hand over the marks.

He couldn't suppress a burst of laughter, "Right, okay, you're not best pals. But we'll still go?" He moved into the room and stood behind her, touching the marks on her waist himself. "Can't abandon Tom."

"No, of course we can't." She sighed as he tried to soothe away the marks. "None of my clothes fit properly anymore."

He moved his hand to cup her small bump instead. "Blame this one."

She smiled slightly. "That one has gone seamlessly from making me sick to making me fat." She leaned back against him. "And it's not as though I can just go out and buy the next size up."

"We'll work something out." He kissed her neck and wrapped his arms around her. "If needs be, you can just stay like this for the next six months." His eyes met hers in the mirror and he deliberately ran his gaze over her body, letting her see his appreciation.

She laughed softly and turned in his arms, reaching up to kiss him. "I'm sure you'd enjoy that, but it might make work a little tricky."

He inclined his head in acknowledgement. "And, as we're going on a date, I think you're contractually obligated to wear a skirt..."

"That only applies if it's our date, not chaperoning someone else's."

"I'll make it worth your while." He kissed her. "I promise."

If Rachel didn't consider it a date, it was only too obvious that Kelly did, not least because of the way she reacted when she realised they were going out as a foursome. Her face lit up when Tom walked into the lobby of their apartment building, and immediately tightened when she saw Mike and Rachel behind him.

"Hello Tom." She stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek. "It's good to see you."

"And you. You look...nice."

To be fair, Mike thought, she did. Where a woman finds a little black dress in this day and age might be a mystery, but she'd managed it.

Tom continued, "I thought you'd like to see Rachel, and you remember Mike, my XO on the James."

"Yes, of course." Kelly smiled and shook Mike's hand, then kissed Rachel's cheek, though Mike noted that unlike her greeting to Tom, her kiss didn't land. "How are you, Rachel? You look well."

Mike saw Rachel stiffen slightly. "Very well, thank you." She replied.

"Are you living in the same building as the officers?" There was a slight edge to Kelly's tone, and Mike realised that she didn't know.

"She is." He stepped closer to Rachel and put his hand on her back.

Rachel leaned into him a little and he saw realisation dawn on Kelly's face, her smile suddenly becoming a lot warmer. Christ, he thought, when are people going to stop assuming Rachel and Tom are an item?

"Well that's another good thing to come out of all this," Kelly was saying. "The way it has brought people together. I've been to three weddings in Norfolk in the last month alone." She turned and smiled at Tom, who looked very slightly scared.

The restaurant had been one of the best in the city, and although the menu no longer had the range and opulence it once had, the food was still surprisingly good. Unfortunately, the conversation was not. Kelly addressed almost all of her remarks to Tom, who seemed to have become partially mute, leaving Mike to step in. Rachel had a rather fixed smile and was pushing the food around her plate and barely eating.

"How's Ava?" Mike asked Kelly.

"She's doing well." She smiled. "Adjusting. She misses Ashley and Sam though." She turned her smile on Tom, who nodded a little and offered a half smile of his own. "Do you have children?" She asked Mike.

He didn't want to go into detail, so settled on, "We're working on it."

"I'm pregnant." Rachel clarified. There was that thread of steel in her tone that Mike recognised.

Kelly was visibly shocked, but she did look genuinely pleased as she said, "Congratulations. How far along are you?"

"Fourteen weeks." Rachel replied. "All going well."

"You look well." Kelly said for the second time.

Silence fell again. "Tom," Mike said, and the CNO looked up from his plate. "Why don't you tell Kelly what Ashley said when she found out about the baby?"

"Oh, I'd love to hear that." Kelly turned to Tom and touched his arm.

"Well, she er-"

"Just popping to the ladies room." Rachel murmured and left the table.

"She went and got her bear, the one she slept with when she was tiny," Tom seemed to have found his voice now he was talking about the kids, "And asked me to give it to Mike, because she thought the baby would need a toy to play with, where there are no toy shops now."

"That's so thoughtful!" Kelly touched his arm again. "She's a lovely girl."

"She is."

"Ava always wanted a brother or sister," Kelly continued. "She doesn't like being an only child, especially now. That's one of the reasons I might move here with her." She smiled up at Tom, who managed to smile back.

Mike stood up, "Just going to, ah-" He headed towards the restrooms, and ran into Rachel. He pulled her into an alcove and let out the laugh he'd been suppressing.

"I am so sorry I agreed to this." He said, and she laughed too.

"Oh I don't know, it'll make a great story one day."

He quickly looked around to check they were unobserved before leaning in to kiss her. "And it did get you into that." He gestured.

She glanced down at the khaki pencil skirt she was wearing. "Don't get any ideas. The atmosphere is not conducive to romance."

"I'll make it up to you when we get home."

"I'll hold you to that." She kissed him lightly. "Now we should get back to them."

At least Tom had recovered his ability to speak, though he still seemed immune to Kelly's attempts at flirtation. As they finally settled the bill and prepared to leave, she gave it one last try.

"Tom, I'd love to see a little more of the neighbourhood, if we could maybe walk the long way back to the guest house?"

Tom turned to Mike, but before he could speak, Kelly was addressing Rachel.

"I'm sure you're tired, I was exhausted when I was expecting Ava. I completely understand if you two want to head straight home."

Mike pressed his lips together and didn't dare look at Rachel.

"Thanks Kelly," Rachel replied. "I think we will, if that's alright." Mike could hear the tiniest tremor of suppressed laughter under her words.

Tom shot a beseeching look at Mike, but was rewarded with a tiny shrug and a smirk.

Kelly kissed them both goodbye, then tucked her arm through Tom's before they walked away. Mike grabbed Rachel's hand and walked them as quickly as possible towards the apartment, only allowing the laughter to escape when they were definitely out of earshot.

"We're bad people." Rachel wheezed, almost bent double with mirth. "She's going to eat him alive!"

"Maybe he secretly wants her to." Mike managed between guffaws, "Maybe that's why he was so nervous."

Rachel was gasping, trying to get her breathing back under control. "Did we really just send him into her clutches? She's desperate for a new husband and daddy for Ava..."

Mike winced, "Now it sounds like we are bad people."

She leaned into him and smiled. "He's a big boy. He can take care of himself." She kissed him. "Besides, you owe me. I came to your disastrous dinner, and I wore a skirt."

"What can I do to make it up to you?" He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"Honestly?" She breathed against his lips, "You can make me a cup of tea and rub my feet, because I haven't worn heels since the inaugural ball and I'm in pain."

It was probably lucky that tea and a foot rub were top of the agenda, as they'd barely been home ten minutes before there was a knock on the door.

"Dish the dirt!" Tex invited himself in, moving straight past Mike into the living room, where he flopped down into the armchair. "You know you want to, Doc!"

Rachel started laughing again.

"You told Tex?" Mike asked her.

"Yes she did, XO, so now she has to spill the beans."

Mike shook his head and chuckled as he went into the kitchen to make Rachel's tea – and fetch a bottle of Scotch for himself and Tex. For someone who conducted herself so professionally, Rachel still had a good ear for gossip.

"…And so they walked off into the sunset, Kelly hanging off his arm, so now all we can do is wait to see if he comes home!" Rachel was laughing as Mike returned.

"There is no way," He commented, "That anything is going to happen there."

"Not so sure about that." Tex disagreed. "She's a nice looking woman, seems sweet, they're in the same boat-"

Mike shook his head emphatically. "I'm telling you. Not going to happen."

"What makes you so sure?" It was Rachel's turn to question him.

He poured drinks for himself and Tex before replying. He didn't want to break confidences, but for all the amusement of the evening, Tom was his friend.

"Tom was never one for soft and sweet. Don't get me wrong, Darien was a good girl, but she could give as good as she got when she needed to. And the one before her, well, all evidence says she was a firecracker." He handed Tex a glass and then settled on the sofa next to Rachel, letting her rest her feet in his lap.

"You ever meet her?" Tex asked.

"Sasha? She was about as far from your typical Navy wife as you could get, probably why they broke up, but trust me, Tom's not looking for someone like Kelly."

"What about you Tex," Rachel asked, "Any local ladies benefitting from your boundless charms?"

He raised his glass to her. "Well Doc, believe it or not, the post-apocalyptic dating scene ain't what you might expect. Kathleen tells me I should be thankful it wasn't the zombie apocalypse." Rachel snorted with laughter and Mike grinned. "Looks to me," Tex continued, "As though you two struck it lucky, that's for sure."

Mike glanced at Rachel and she smiled. "Something like that." He replied softly, as much to her as to Tex.

"Uh oh, I know that look!" Tex knocked back the rest of his drink. "Means I should be on my way and leave you two to do whatever it is you do on that couch when I'm not interrupting."

Rachel laughed. "You don't have to go, honestly."

"No, I- Wait, did you hear that?" He gestured them to silence and left the room on soft feet. A second later they heard his voice. "Good evening Commodore, not going to join us for a drink?"

Mike groaned inwardly as Tex re-entered the room, now with Tom in tow. It wasn't that he didn't want to hear the debrief, because he did, but he also wanted to be left alone with Rachel.

"Pull up a chair and tell us all about it." Tex instructed, grabbing a glass from the sideboard and pouting Tom a drink.

"What the-" Tom looked around with a degree of bemusement. "Have you all been sitting here talking about me?"

"Yes, because we have nothing better to do." Tex replied. "So give us the dirt."

Tom shook his head. "Seriously, this is how the visionary leaders of this great nation amuse themselves?"

Rachel looked ever so slightly abashed, and Mike felt a hint of embarrassment, but Tex just laughed. "I ain't a leader of anything, and besides, gossiping in corners is what people do in small communities, and in case you hadn't noticed, this great nation has become a much smaller community than it once was. So for the final time, tell us what you got up to with that pretty blonde lady."

Tom glanced at Mike, who just shrugged. "You'll tell me anyway."

"And he'll tell me." Rachel added.

"And she'll tell me." Tex completed. "So save us all some time."

"Fine." Tom pulled up a chair from the dining table and sat down. "Nothing happened. I walked her back to the guest house, we talked about the kids, that's it."

"Really?" Rachel asked. "Because she looked like she was hanging on to you pretty tight."

Tom sighed. "Look, she's a lovely woman. I like Kelly. But I'm not ready to date, and even I was, I wouldn't date her."

"Told you." Mike muttered under his breath to Rachel.

"Did you tell her that?" Rachel asked.

"In a manner of speaking." Tom sipped his drink and looked away.

"Meaning?" She probed.

"Meaning, she invited me in and I said I wasn't there yet."

Tex made a noise more appropriate to a missed field goal. "Oh man, you really haven't dated in a long time, have you?"

"What?" Tom's tone was almost hostile.

"Now she's going to think she just has to give you time." Tex explained. "You're never going to get rid of her."

Tom dropped his head into his hands and massaged his temples. "I'm going to bed. I'm done with this."

"Tom…" Rachel's tone was gentle. "It's fine, really. We're sorry, we're just being your - admittedly somewhat insensitive - friends."

He nodded. "I'm still going to bed."

Mike shot Tex a look.

"And I'm going with you." Tex said. "Well, not with you, with you. Neither of us are that desperate."

Tom managed a snort of laughter. "Tex, I'll never be that desperate."

"You wound me, Commodore!" Tex replied as they left the room with a wave to Mike and Rachel. They heard his laughter move out into the stairway before the front door shut.

Mike turned to Rachel. "We are never doing that again."

"Which part? The double date or the gossip?" She smiled slightly.

"Either." He squeezed her feet. "Bed?"

"I'm too comfortable to move." She replied, sliding down so she was almost lying on the sofa, her legs draped over his.

"Oh yeah?" He slid his hands up her bare calves, massaging lightly, and just edged up the hem of her skirt. His fingers brushed the inside of her thighs and she shivered slightly.

"What are you up to?" She asked, her smile turning a little naughty.

"Just seeing if the same conditions apply as the last time you wore a skirt." He slid his hand higher between her legs, and even though he'd known what to expect, he still started a little when his fingers touched bare flesh. "Rachel! We spent all evening sitting with other people-"

"While I wasn't wearing any knickers." She supplied. "Problem?" He growled and pushed the skirt up, giving himself more access to her as she continued, "After all, I remember what happened the last time I wore a skirt…"

He slid onto his knees beside the sofa and pulled her round so that her legs could drape over his shoulders, grabbing her hips and lifting her to his mouth. She moaned with satisfaction as his tongue found her centre, and he lapped at her, enjoying the way she pushed herself against him, silently demanding more.

"You're disgraceful." He murmured, and she moaned again. "I shouldn't reward you."

"Yes you should," She gasped, "You really should…"

He almost chuckled, but settled for tonguing her again instead, feeling her trembling on the edge before she shuddered and came against his mouth. He gently lifted her legs from his shoulders and eased her back onto the couch. Her face was flushed and her hair tousled.

"My turn." He murmured, "Turn over."

She bit her lip and did as he asked, and he pushed her skirt up around her waist as she knelt on the couch, exposing her bare skin to his touch. He slowly stroked the curve of her ass, hearing her gasp softly at the touch of his hand, and moan as he slid it between her legs. He hadn't taken her like this since the ship, and she was clearly thinking of the same thing.

"No desk this time." She murmured.

"Couch will do." He pressed his chest against her back and reached around to cup her breast with one hand while undoing his pants with the other. "Couch will do fine." He pushed inside her slowly, groaning at the feel of her, and she threw her head back onto his shoulder.

"Oh god," She was moaning as he started to move, "Oh god," She was trembling already, and clenching around him, and when she moved her own hand between her legs, he lost control completely and thrust hard and fast, one hand still tight on her breast while the other held her hip, barely registering the moment she shattered around him, too lost in the feeling of her, and then he flew over the edge, shouting her name, and almost collapsing with the release.

They fell onto the sofa in a tangle of limbs, and he managed to wrap himself around her. "I told you, you should wear a skirt more often." He panted, and she laughed, her own breathing just as ragged.

"I'm consider it." She moved so she could kiss him. "I'll definitely consider it."


	24. Last Words

_Author's note: So now that I've seen the first few episodes of season 3, I THINK I know how this story is going to tie back into the show. Stay tuned…_

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 **Chapter 24 – Last Words**

St Louis was slowly taking shape, and so was the new military training camp. Provided Tom signed off on it, the first thirty recruits would be arriving on base in under a week, and Mike was both excited and concerned. Up until this point, he'd been able to make himself available to Rachel when she needed him, but once the first round of basic training started, it wouldn't be so easy.

"I need to talk to you about something," He told Tom as they toured the camp. "It's not straightforward, but I think I need to pursue it."

"What is it?" Tom asked.

"You know Christine filed divorce papers before we left for the Arctic?"

Tom nodded slowly. "I remember."

"Well as far as I know, nothing ever happened. I mean, with the virus and everything, I don't know at what point the courthouses closed but-"

"Mike, what are you thinking?"

"The judge, he seems a decent guy. I think I'm going to talk to him about granting the divorce."

Tom stopped walking. "You're serious?"

"You know better than anyone that our marriage was over a long time ago. If the virus hadn't happened, we'd be divorced already." He took a breath. "And as it is, I've got Rachel, and we're having a baby, and I want to do it right this time. And part of that is, I want to marry her."

Tom paused before speaking. "I can understand that. But I have to say it: if Christine is alive, if she finds her way back to you, it will be hard enough that you have a new relationship and a new baby. How would she feel if she found out you'd divorced her?"

Mike's gut twisted. "She was divorcing me, Tom. It could hardly be a surprise."

"But you have thought it through?"

"Yeah. It's a shitty situation, but I love Rachel. I know that. And she needs the security, she needs to know I'm going to be there for her and the baby."

"You already sacrificed your career." Tom said quietly. "That's a pretty big commitment."

Mike opened his mouth to argue that his career was just fine, but stopped. Tom had a point. "It's not the same." He said instead. "And she's making sacrifices too."

The conversation continued to play on his mind as he drove to the courthouse. Nowadays it was the centre of government, but the judge still kept his chambers there. Mike tried to get straight to the right floor, but kept running into people he knew, or who knew him. By the time it was Kara Green in front of him, he was almost ready to snap, except that she looked so pale he found himself putting a hand on her shoulder instead.

"You okay Foster? Sorry, Green?"

"Commander..." If anything her face had gone a shade paler, and he led her to a chair.

"What's wrong? You need a glass of water?" He couldn't help looking at her prominent belly, a few months ahead of Rachel's.

She shook her head slightly. "I'm okay, I just- Actually, you're one of the-" She took a deep breath and fell silent for a moment as she visibly steadied herself. "We had a package today from Norfolk. They've been emptying mailboxes near the safe zones-"

For a second he thought he might be sick, as he realised what was coming.

"People had written letters." Kara continued. "Mainly to loved ones in the service. It became a kind of tradition, they said..." She swallowed. "There was one from my mom, she wrote me before we got there." She looked up at him, and almost whispered, "There's one for you."

Mike drove back to the apartment, the letter buttoned into his pocket next to the ultrasound picture of his and Rachel's baby. He hadn't opened it at the courthouse, he needed to do it in private. As soon as he was inside the apartment, he sat down at the table and took it out. The handwriting was Christine's. He opened the envelope carefully and took out the single sheet of paper. It was dated a few weeks before the James had arrived in Norfolk.

 _Dear Mike,_

 _I don't know if you will ever read this. Last time we spoke you were on the ship, but we haven't had any news since then. I'm sorry I was so angry, and that I didn't tell you more kindly about Lucas. I'm sorry that I don't have better news now._

 _Our little girl has gone. She was so brave, but she couldn't fight it. It was peaceful, truly, she just slipped away. And now I'm sick too. I knew it was coming after taking care of the children. They say there is no cure, and I've seen it with my own eyes, no one survives. That's why I am writing this letter._

 _Lissy isn't sick, not yet, and perhaps she won't be. We've heard rumours about people being immune, so maybe she'll be lucky. She's here with me now, she's being so brave and grown up. Our big girl. You have to promise me that if you live through this, you'll try to find her. I know you love our children, I know that if you can find your way back to her, you will. I can't die thinking that our baby will be left all alone, I have to believe that this letter will reach you somehow and that you will find Lissy and keep her safe._

 _I have told her to stay here and wait for you. I pray that you come home soon._

 _Christine_

He let the letter fall onto the table, his breath coming in gasps as he tried to control himself. It was no more than he had expected, he had told himself that his family were gone, but the confirmation that his younger daughter and his wife were taken by the virus still came with the same unbearable pain as the loss of his son had done. He dropped his head into his hands and tried to breathe through it.

By the time Rachel arrived home, he had managed to get his emotions back under control and put a plan in place. He handed her the letter and she read it in silence, tears coming into her eyes.

"Oh Mike." She whispered, and put her arms around him. He held her tightly, but his mind was on what he had to tell her.

"I have to go to Norfolk." He said into her hair. "I have to go look for her."

"I know you do." She said quietly, looking up at him. "Of course you do."

He moved a hand to her stomach, caressing her bump. "You have to take care of this one while I'm gone." He said, trying to disguise the break in his voice.

"Of course I will." She laid her hand over his.

"Tom is upstairs, Tex is across the hall, Kara already said that if there's anything you need-"

She laid a finger across his lips. "All we need is for you to be careful, and come home safe." Her eyes held nothing but understanding, and it started to break down the wall of practical arrangements he'd built around his emotions.

"If she's still alive," He said, voicing his deepest fear, "Then she's been alone, for months..."

"You don't know that." Rachel said softly, "Hopefully she's in a safe place. Kara said her mother was helping to run one, in a bowling alley. She could be absolutely fine."

"Then why didn't she get in touch?"

"It's not as easy as that. She'd have to know where to find you-"

"The whole world knows where to find us."

She didn't argue as she touched his gritted jaw, and instead asked, "When do you go?"

"First thing in the morning." Somehow her unquestioning acceptance of his decision made this harder.

"I need you to do something for me." Her voice was firm, and he had a sudden sense of foreboding. "I need you to take Tex with you."

He opened his mouth to argue, but then he looked at her and saw the expression on her face. "Okay," He agreed. "Tex can come. If he's willing to." But he already knew that Tex would do anything for Rachel.

They lay in bed, his arms wrapped tightly around her and his hand on her bump. He knew from her breathing that she was awake, but for the life of him he couldn't think what to say, so he stayed silent, and so did she. Eventually he fell into a fitful sleep full of dreams about Lissy being trapped somewhere he couldn't reach her, and being woken by the alarm was almost a relief. Rachel was pale and for the first time in weeks she threw up her breakfast.

"I don't want to leave you." He said quietly as he kissed her goodbye.

"I know." She replied, and tried to smile. "I love you."

"I love you. I'll be back soon." As he closed the apartment door behind him, he had a terrible moment of indecision, but steeled himself. He had to go to Norfolk. It was the only choice.


	25. Lost and Found

_Author's note: I'm increasingly scared by the number of people reading this, but thank you, you're all brilliant. And if you'd like to leave me a review from time to time to let me know what you think, I always appreciate it._

 _Probably a good moment to reiterate that I don't own any characters from The Last Ship, we just hang out occasionally._

 **Chapter 25 - Lost and Found**

Mike probably shouldn't have underestimated Tex's capacity for silence. After all, the security contractor had been with him when they'd searched Deer Park for Mike's family the first time, not to mention his quest to find his own daughter, and there had been precious little humour in either situation. But in a way, as they sat in the back of the plane, Mike was missing the irreverent wisecracks that Tex usually doled out.

"Kathleen will be fine with Rachel." He offered, in case that was partly the source of Tex's quietness.

"I know that, XO." Tex nodded. "Not worried about either of them. Pretty sure Jed could hold off a damn army, even without Tom and Danny and the rest." He paused, then added, "No need for you to worry either. I've told Kathleen to holler for help if there's even a sign that anything ain't right with Rachel. She's a smart girl."

It was Mike's turn to nod. "She is."

"You know she lost her mother." Tex said quietly, "And she survived it. Your girl could be the same."

Mike swallowed. "I hope so."

"They're the same age, right?"

"Fifteen." He nodded.

"Only a couple years til they can enlist then." Tex's mouth twitched and to Mike's surprise, he found himself chuckling.

Like St Louis, Norfolk was slowly getting back on its feet, and naval personnel were finding their way to the city from all over the east coast. Mike knew that under different circumstances he should be meeting with the senior officers and cementing the relationships he'd built through messages and phone calls over the last couple of months, but this trip had only one purpose, and that was finding Lissy.

They borrowed a jeep - it was easy to acquire assistance when you were one of the crew of the famous Nathan James - and drove straight to his old house. Everything was coated in a thick layer of dust, but otherwise the place was undisturbed. The letter, radio, and doses of the cure that he had left there all those months ago were still sitting on the counter. He clenched his fists as he realised that Christine and his two younger children had already been dead when he'd been here last.

He remembered that day so vividly. Finding the photo album and Lissy's sweatshirt in the tent in Deer Park, finding the house deserted; and his conversation with Tex out on the street.

 _You want to stay._

 _I want a lot of things._

Tex had stayed outside, ostensibly to keep an eye on the perimeter, but really, Mike knew, to give him privacy. He touched the letter with a single finger, then gave in to his anger and swept everything off the counter onto the floor in one motion. He leaned on the surface and tried to rein his temper back in.

Rachel, he thought. Last time I was here, I hardly knew you. I'd slept with you once. I liked you. I thought about you more than I should. I never would have guessed what was coming. If I'd stayed here, it never would have happened.

He pictured her face, tried to conjure the feeling of holding her in his arms. It helped. He took a deep breath, bent down and picked up the items from the floor. It was only then he noticed that there were footprints in the dust. Faint ones, a little dusty again by now, but there. Smallish, perhaps those of a teenage girl? Or, he reminded himself against the hope jumping into his throat, pretty much anyone. And surely, if it had been Lissy, she would have used the radio? At the very least, taken the cure.

"Unless she didn't need it?" Tex suggested when Mike filled him in. "If she's immune, she wouldn't have to take it."

They'd set up camp in the living room. Mike couldn't imagine sleeping in his old bed, and he hadn't needed to explain. Tex had just dumped their sleeping bags in here, no questions asked. Curfew was early in Norfolk, and it seemed smarter to stay in the house and start asking around the safe zones tomorrow.

"Christine said in her letter that she thought she might be." Mike agreed. "It would explain why she could be around them all and not get sick, but why wouldn't she take the radio?"

Tex shrugged, "Maybe she came by here long after? Figured you were gone again? Or she didn't know how to use it..." He trailed off under Mike's wry gaze.

"She didn't want to talk to me." He said. "We both know it." He sighed. "Should have guessed that anyway." Tex didn't answer him, and he stared at the wall as he continued. "Lissy was the eldest, they hear things, see things. Katy and Lucas were so much younger." He swallowed. "Lissy was on her mom's side. No reason that would change."

"I didn't see Kathleen for years. She forgave me." Tex offered. "This new world, it changes things."

"You and her mom-"

"Claire." Tex supplied.

"You were married?"

"We were. I loved that woman, I did, but I wasn't ready for it all. Didn't know how to be a husband and father." He half smiled, "Still don't, but I'm working on it."

Mike hesitated for a second. "When I met Christine, I knew she wanted to get married, have a family. It seemed like the right thing to do. She got pregnant on our honeymoon."

"You love her?"

"Yeah, I did. But I loved being a cop more. Then I loved the Navy more. She got tired of coming in second."

"Not before you had two more kids." The wry smile on Tex's face stopped it stinging as much as it might, but Mike still winced.

"Yeah, well, I think she thought a second one might bring me home - didn't work of course - and then my son was a genuine accident." He managed a half smile of his own. "Shore leave babies, both of them. But I loved those kids. I really did." He was almost talking to himself now.

"Well, tomorrow we'll go find your girl, huh?"

Mike nodded, but later, as he slipped into restless sleep, he couldn't help wondering if Lissy would even want to be found.

Kara had given them the details of the resettlement centre her mother was now working in, and they made it their first priority the next morning. Debby had already looked through the patchy records and drawn a blank, but Mike was hoping someone there might recognise Lissy. He handed over a few photos and watched Debby flick through them.

"What a beautiful family." She said quietly, glancing up at Mike, and he had to look away. She looked closer at the second photograph, a shot of the three kids together. "I swear..." She sounded puzzled.

"What is it?" He asked.

"This girl, your girl, she looks exactly like a girl we had in the bowling alley for a while. But her name was Mel, Mel Devine. Her mom-" Debby stopped when she saw Mike's face.

"Christine's surname was Devine." He managed, his voice feeling like it was being passed through sandpaper. "Lissy is short for Melissa. She hated it." He tried to swallow down the sandpaper feeling. "So did I, but it was Christine's mother's name."

Debby laid a hand on his arm. "Commander Slattery, I'm so sorry."

"Mike." He said.

"Mike, she's a lovely girl." Debby said softly. "A little quiet, but you'd expect that after losing her mom. She said her mom was a widow, that she brought her up alone." She looked confused.

She didn't want me to find her, Mike thought. "Do you know where she went?"

Debby's hand tightened on his arm. "She met a couple of people, they were part of this group, immune to the virus. They were all travelling somewhere, to a meeting... I didn't think she should go, but she said she was eighteen, and it's not as though we could stop her..." There were tears in her eyes. "Everyone was wandering, and scared, and-"

"There was nothing you could do." He said automatically, putting his hand over hers. "Thank you for looking out for her."

"She didn't say where they were headed, I'm not sure they even knew. I'm so sorry." The tears spilled over, and Tex stepped in, patting her shoulder and suggesting she sit down, while Mike stared into space, his thoughts whirling. Lissy could be anywhere. If she'd truly gotten involved with the immunes, she could have been caught up in terrible things.

"We have to get back to St Louis." He said out loud.

Tex turned from where he'd been reassuring Debby. "Seriously?"

"I need to talk to Michener, to the gunman who tried to kill Rachel, to any and every goddamn immune I can get my hands on, until I find out where she is."

He spent the flight back sat in silence, trying to make a mental list of everyone who'd had contact with the immunes and might have a lead on where Lissy could be found. Tex had made the practical suggestion of sending her photo around the growing network of military and law enforcement, but Mike knew that whatever fragile ceasefire had been negotiated with the immunes, they still weren't likely to volunteer information or be moving around in plain sight.

It was after midnight when they got back to the apartment building. He said goodbye to Tex in the hallway, thanking him with a hand clasp, then unlocked the door quietly and stepped into his apartment. The lights went out citywide at eleven pm to save power, and he found Rachel already asleep in bed. He stood and looked down at her in the moonlight coming through the window, the way it shone on her bare shoulder and the curve of her cheekbone, and for the first time in almost three days, he felt the vice unclench just a little from around his heart.

He slipped out of his clothes and slid into bed, whispering her name as he pulled her gently into his arms.

"Mike?" She mumbled sleepily.

"It's me." He stroked her back. "I'm home." As he said the words, he felt his throat close up, and had to choke down a flood of emotion. This was home now, not that empty house in Norfolk, or his embattled marriage. Rachel and the baby were his home. He just hoped he'd be able to bring Lissy into this home too.

Rachel opened her eyes. "You're here?"

"I'm here." He kissed her softly.

"Did you find-"

He stopped her with another kiss and shook his head. "Not yet." He whispered.

"I'm so sorry." She was fully awake now, those beautiful eyes full of concern and compassion.

"It's okay." He forced down the tide of emotion again. "It's okay." She was soft and warm in his arms, and all at once he craved the oblivion of being inside her. He kissed her again, deeper this time, sliding his hand down her back and pulling her tight against him. He felt her hesitate for a second, but then she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck as he rolled them, moving on top of her, parting her legs with his knee and pressing his hardness against her.

"Can I?" He managed, and she nodded, kissing him again, as he pushed inside her. Her hands were on his back now, her fingertips pressing into his skin as he moved in and out of her, trying to keep it slow, trying not to lose control, but then she whispered in his ear,

"It's okay, it's okay."

And he gave in and thrust deep, losing himself, finally able to stop thinking for a few moments, to stop worrying and planning and imagining, and just be here, right now, with Rachel in his arms, and then he was letting go and coming hard, and then his head was buried in her shoulder and he was gasping, and she was holding him so tight, her legs and arms wrapped around him, as he finally surrendered.


	26. The Captain

_Author's note: Okay, so this is edging towards the season 3 timeline now, with the obvious caveat that it's still pretty damn AU, what with Rachel never having been shot…_

 _Thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. You're all lovely._

 **Chapter 26 - The Captain**

The fact of it was, the world had gone back to the days when if someone didn't want to be found, they wouldn't be. Even setting aside the possibility that she was with the immunes, the technological advances that had once made it so hard to hide were now redundant for the most part, and that meant Mike's quest to find Lissy was dependent on random sightings, or her willingness to be found. And the evidence suggested that she was very unwilling indeed.

He could understand why she was angry with him, and he could understand why the immunes might have seemed an appealing prospect for a vulnerable teenager who'd watched her family die around her. But he still couldn't completely believe that she wouldn't have made contact when she'd heard the news of the ship returning, even if it was to tell him how much she hated him - or maybe that was just wishful thinking. But if it wasn't, did that mean something had happened to her? Or she was somewhere so remote the news hadn't made it through? Or she was in some kind of immune camp where the news was filtered to fit their purposes?

It was a problem that chewed away at him. Even when he was drilling the new recruits, or addressing the government - such as it was - or spending time with colleagues and friends, a part of his mind was always working on it. It reminded him of his years as a detective, when Christine would complain that he was never fully present even when he was physically there, because his thoughts were only ever on the latest case.

He managed to focus on Rachel when they were together, and laying in bed with his arms wrapped around her and his hand on their baby gave him rare moments of peace. But he knew she was worried, knew he was quiet and preoccupied, and he knew that none of this was good, but he couldn't seem to break out of it.

So when Tom, or rather the Chief of Naval Operations, summoned him to his office on a cloudy morning three weeks after his return from Norfolk, he was expecting some kind of lecture on focus, or even worse, a pep talk.

"Mike, I need a favour," Was not the opening he was expecting.

"What is it?" He asked.

Tom sighed. "Well, I say favour. I think if you were to agree to this I'd be in debt to you for the next twenty years, but as your CNO and your former CO, I'm still going to ask."

Mike felt his jaw tighten as he replied. "I think I know what's coming."

"The James is out of dry dock and ready to go. And I don't have a Captain. One mission Mike, that's all I'm asking. One trip - deliver the cure to Asia, Vietnam to be specific - and then you're done. It will give Garnett, Granderson and Cameron Burk a chance to serve under a highly experienced officer before they have to step up. And it gives us longer to track down other senior personnel who might still be out there." Tom paused. "That's my sales pitch, Mike. I don't want to order you, but I'm in a corner here."

"Respectfully, it's a no. I'm not leaving Rachel. She's due in four months." He folded his arms.

"And you'll be back in under three." Tom countered. "We've got the comms working, you can speak to her from onboard ship, even video call. Every day if you want. This isn't a covert mission, no radio silence."

Mike shook his head. "What about Lissy? If I'm not here looking for her-"

"I'll take over." Tom said sincerely. "I'll keep the search going, keep the pressure on. I've known that kid since she was in pre-school, I promise I won't let the search go cold."

Mike couldn't quite believe it, but he felt tempted. To be back at sea, doing what he did best, to have his first command... But then he stopped himself. "I put my career above my family before. I'm not doing it again."

"Talk to Rachel." Tom said. "Let me know tomorrow. Like I said, I don't want to order you - I won't order you - but I want you to do this, Mike."

"You should go." Rachel said quietly. She'd sat with him on the couch and listened while he described the meeting with Tom, including his firm assurances that he wasn't going to do it, but once he was done she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I mean it. Go. I think you need this. Before the baby is born, before we find Lissy. Go and be a captain." She smiled slightly, "Then come home and be a father."

"I promised you I was going to do this right. I'm not leaving you for months, especially not with the baby." He replied stubbornly.

"Mike, I'm telling you to go." She touched his face. "I want you to do this. And when you get back, and the baby's born, I'll need you here, and I'll hold you to that promise for the rest of our lives, but do this first. I can manage fine for a couple of months, I'm surrounded by good people, and you said we can speak over the phone?"

"Every day." He confirmed. "As often as we want." He felt himself weakening. Maybe he could go, this one last time. Say goodbye properly to the sea and the James.

"How about every night before bed?" She suggested. "You can sing to the baby." Her lips twitched.

"Have you heard me sing?" He asked, unable to fight a smile of his own.

"Well you've heard me sing, so it's the lesser of two evils!" She started to laugh, and he couldn't help joining in.

"How about we stick some headphones on your belly and let The Boss sing the baby to sleep?" It felt like the first proper laugh he'd had since getting Christine's letter, and he shifted forward and pulled Rachel into his arms. "I'm sorry." He said into her hair. "I'm sorry all this has happened."

"Don't be." She said softly. "It's a lot to deal with."

He nodded, and for a little while he just held her.

"You're going, aren't you?" She said eventually.

"If you're sure." He replied, and he knew that he was.

"I'm sure." She drew back a little so she could look up at him. "But it does mean you have to give me some memories to dwell on before you go," Her smile was just a fraction naughty.

"Doctor Scott, what are you suggesting?" He asked.

She undid the first button of her shirt. "I'm suggesting you take me into the bedroom and do something memorable, Captain Slattery."

The sound of his new title on her lips sent a bolt through him, and he kissed her before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her into the bedroom, enjoying her shocked giggle.

"You'll break your back!" She protested.

He deposited her carefully on the bed and pulled off his shirt and pants. "I've carried much heavier loads, trust me." He grinned, feeling lighter in more ways than one as he joined her on the bed and undid her remaining buttons.

He kissed her collarbones, the tops of her breasts, running his lips over her exposed skin as he pulled her shirt off, and then drew back a little to look at her breasts, almost spilling over a very sheer pink lace bra.

"I told you none of my clothes fitted any more. I had to get what I could find." She looked almost embarrassed, until she saw the look on his face.

"Anything else come from that store?" He reached out and ran a fingertip around her nipple through the lace before undoing the bra and casting it aside.

"Take my trousers off and you'll see." She replied, and he swallowed. Then he started to laugh as he unbuttoned her pants to reveal a very large pair of white cotton panties.

"Okay, those might tick some different boxes..."

She giggled. "They are very comfortable! And they're supposed to stretch with my belly!"

He carefully pulled off her jeans and the panties, still chuckling slightly. "Well, you look best in nothing at all." He dropped his head and kissed her belly gently, running a hand over the growing bump. Then he moved lower and heard her breathing catch as his lips traced between her legs. He ran his tongue over her, and she cried out.

"Mike!"

He held her thighs apart as he kissed and licked her, keeping it slow, appreciating the taste and feel of her. She wasn't the only one who needed to imprint memories of this. He could feel her trembling, and hear her breathing faster, and he moved up over her, kicking his boxer shorts off as he positioned himself between her legs, kissing her as he pushed inside her.

"Oh Rachel..." He groaned at the feeling of her opening around him, her heat and softness.

She arched against him and he held her close, taking it slow, kissing her and whispering to her as she moaned softly, her arms wrapped tightly around his back. "I love you so much," He murmured, "So much..."

"Love you, love you-" She gasped, then shuddered against him as she came, taking him with her.

They lay tangled together, limbs entwined, and he stroked her hair as she nestled into his shoulder.

"You have to come home safe." She said softly, "You have to promise me that."

"I don't have to go." He said, but she shook her head.

"You do have to go, but you also have to come home to me. To us. Promise me." Her tone was almost fierce, and he turned his head to look into her eyes.

"I promise. I'm coming home. I promise, sweetheart." He hesitated as the words came to him, but then let them out, "And when I get home, we're getting married. Before the baby comes. Yes?"

She half laughed as she answered, "Yes, okay. Yes!"

He wrapped her even tighter in his arms and kissed her. "I promise." He said again.


	27. Long Distance

_Author's note: Sorry for the long gap between updates. This is both for life reasons, and because I'm working hard on how to stitch parts of the season 3 timeline into this story. This chapter takes place just before the start of season 3._

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 **Chapter 27 – Long Distance**

Mike had to admit he'd missed the rhythm of life aboard ship. Sure, he'd enjoyed setting up the training camp and starting to get the new recruits into shape, and he was perfectly content to move back into that role once he returned to St Louis, but there was something about being back on the James, the routine and familiarity, that gave him a very different sort of satisfaction. He was adapting to being the Captain too, helped by Garnett as a highly capable XO, and although he'd half expected to see ghosts everywhere he looked, in fact the new faces had quickly become familiar, and the memories of their predecessors felt strangely peaceful, almost comforting. He'd learned years ago to focus on remembering the person, not the circumstances of their death.

The only thing that nagged at him was Rachel's absence. He hadn't realised how big a part of life on the Nathan James she had become, even before they'd begun their relationship. Walking into the helo bay and not seeing the lab still felt strange, and he half expected to bump into her in the corridors. It was lucky he was now in the Captain's quarters, as he wasn't sure he'd have been able to sleep at all if he'd been in his old cabin.

Thankfully, there was one major new addition to his routine that helped him to manage that nagging feeling, and it was pretty much the best part of his day. He leaned back in the chair in his cabin, connected the secure line that had been his main condition of taking this command, and placed a call to Rachel.

"Hello?" Her voice was soft, and as always, he breathed a sigh of relief at hearing her.

"Hi sweetheart, how was your day?"

"It was good. We've just found another researcher in the Pacific North West, he's an epidemiologist. I had a good conversation with him, and we're hoping to fly him in before the end of the week. That takes us up to twenty." She sounded excited, and he smiled.

"That's great. Really great. How's our baby?" He closed his eyes and pictured her rubbing her bump.

"Enthusiastic! Moving around a lot. It's nice."

"I wish I was there to feel it." He admitted.

"I'll send you a video." She said, "You won't actually be able to see anything, but you can see me wince!" She laughed.

He smiled, "I'd like that. Seriously."

"I'll ask Debby to film me. She could do with a break from filming little Frankie."

"How is he? And Kara?" Mike asked. Danny and Kara's son had been born prematurely, not long after the James had set sail for Asia, and although he was healthy, he was small and had needed extra care.

"They're fine. It's good of you to let Danny call in so often. I know Kara appreciates it."

"I'm only sorry the video feed isn't functioning. I know Danny's dying to see him." He hesitated. "Listen, don't say anything, but I'm going to try to get him home sooner. Maybe when we reach Vietnam we can find a way to fly him back. But I can't guarantee anything, so I don't want to get anyone's hopes up."

"I won't say anything. But that would be a really nice thing to do." He could hear her smiling. "You're secretly a little bit sentimental, Captain Slattery."

"Well let's not tell anyone about that either, Doctor Scott."

"I miss you." She said quietly. "I don't sleep well without you here."

She hadn't told him that before, and Mike was immediately on alert. "If you don't feel safe, I'll tell Tom to post extra security." He paused, thinking rapidly. "Or we could find you a bigger apartment, move you in with Tex and Kathleen-"

"Mike!" She was half laughing now. "I feel perfectly safe, and I like our apartment. I'm just saying that it's nicer when you're in bed with me. That's all."

"Oh." He shook his head and snorted at himself. "I miss you in my bed too. Every time I walk past the XO's cabin, I think about us in there."

"Not sleeping, though." She said, and he swore he could detect a hint of that naughty smile in her tone. "Does Commander Garnett know what we got up to on that desk? And in the shower?"

He almost choked. "Rachel!" He exclaimed, but at the same time her words had had a distinct effect on him, and he was suddenly very glad this conversation was taking place in private.

"I'm just reminiscing," She continued. "Lots of very vivid memories of that cabin."

"Are you trying to-" But she interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

"Like the time you sat me on the desk and put your head between my legs." She said, and he could have sworn he heard the rustle of clothing, or was it sheets? "And then made love to me right there, with all of our clothes still on."

He swallowed. "Are you in bed?" he managed, hearing that rustle again.

"Yes." She let out a tiny sigh.

"Are you-" He paused. Were they really going to do this? The he heard her sigh again, and decided that fuck it, yes they were. "Are you naked?"

"Mmm hmm." It was almost a purr, and he could just picture the smile on her face, the one that she wore whenever she felt like she'd won.

"Are you touching yourself?" His mouth was so dry he had to swallow again, but he let his hand slide down towards his fly.

"I'm stroking my breasts." She said softly, "Imagining your hands."

He groaned, gave in, and freed himself from the confines of his pants. "Imagine my lips." He said, his hand moving slowly. "Because I would love to kiss your breasts right now."

She gasped a little. "Mmm, yes…"

"And then I'd like to kiss you other places." He closed his eyes and pictured it. "Between your legs, tasting you…"

She let out a squeak, "Please!" Her breathing was speeding up, and he knew she was touching herself there.

"You taste so good, sweetheart." His voice was hoarse, his hand moving faster.

"I miss you… inside me…" She was gasping, and he could hear the rustling of the sheets, picture her with her hand between her thighs.

He groaned again, "I miss that too, you're so hot… wet… Christ, Rach-" He came all over his hand, and heard her cry out. For a moment they both just breathed hard, and he opened his eyes slowly. "Sweetheart?" He said softly.

"I'm here." She was still panting a little. "I'm here. That was…"

"Yeah." He smiled. "I wish you were here."

"Me too." She paused. "I miss you wrapped around me."

"I miss that as much as the other thing." He said honestly.

She laughed a little, "Me too." She said again.

"It won't be that much longer now." He said. "We'll be in Vietnam in a few days. Then we'll be on our way home."

"I can't wait." He could hear the smile in her voice again. "I'm going to be so big by the time you get home."

"You just keep sending me pictures, okay?" He looked at the printout of the latest one she had sent, her growing belly and glowing face. "You look beautiful."

"I look like a whale."

"Dolphin, maybe." He smirked, and heard her laugh. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"You should go to sleep, get you both some rest. Give our baby a little pat from his dad, okay?"

"I'm doing that right now. I'll talk to you tomorrow night."

"Yes you will. I love you."

"You said that already." He could hear that smile again.

"Bears repeating. Goodnight sweetheart." He disconnected the call before she could say it back. He hated hearing her say goodbye.


	28. Breaking News

_Author's note: This ties into one of the major events of the season 3 timeline, taking place around the end of S3:E3 but please remember that this story is still essentially AU, not least because Rachel is alive! This is the first time I've written a chapter from Rachel's POV, but I kind of felt like it fitted here._

 _Thank you as always for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. I will quickly reiterate that none of the characters from The Last Ship belong to me, we just like hanging out from time to time._

 **Chapter 28 – Breaking News**

Rachel hadn't even wanted a TV. But Mike had insisted, and she'd started watching it for the news, for the old movies they were occasionally screening when the power allowed, and sometimes just for background noise because the apartment felt quiet without Mike. She was only half watching when the footage came on, her attention mainly captured by the baby's fluttering movements under her stroking hands, and for a moment she thought it was another movie, maybe an action flick from the '80s. But then she heard his voice, and then she saw his face.

" _Michael Slattery. Captain, United States Navy... I and five members of my crew are prisoners of war._ _"_

The images burned into her brain so deeply that she could see them on a loop even after they'd faded from the screen, that voice that was so dear and familiar to her, saying alien, terrifying things. The face she loved to wake up to, battered and beaten. The eyes that looked into hers with such love and tenderness, burning with anger and defiance. Everything around her was foggy, indistinct, but inside her head, Mike's bruised face was crystal clear.

She didn't know when the apartment had filled with people. Was it Tex who had arrived first, or Bertrise? It must have been Tex, but she didn't remember it. Or had it been Debby? Debby and little Frankie, whose daddy was safe on the ship with Tom. Who had told her that? One of them.

Rachel stroked Bertrise's hair automatically as her mind skittered and jumped from one thought to another, racing around, unable to fully process the central facts. The Jamaican girl was sobbing into her shoulder, but she couldn't find the words of comfort, not when her own heart felt like it was being twisted in her chest until she could barely breathe.

" _Michael Slattery… Prisoner of war…"_

The baby kicked gently, and she rubbed at her bump automatically. A spasm of unbearable pain shot through her at the memory of Mike's hand on her stomach, the way he loved to touch and stroke the baby, all the mornings she'd woken with his big hand spanning across her belly, protecting their baby in the same way he curled his whole body around hers, protecting her.

That was how she'd fallen in love with him, feeling wrapped up and protected and safe for the first time in her life. When she was in his arms, she could honestly believe that everything would be okay. He liked to say she'd saved the world, well it had been his love and protection that had given her the courage and belief to do it.

Her hands cupped tightly around her bump, her mind running unbidden through every memory, every image she had of Mike. Stupid things, the way he smiled at her when she made him coffee, or the way he kissed her hair when he thought she was asleep. The look on his face the first time she'd kissed him, a mixture of disapproval and longing, with just a hint of disbelief. _I can't be your first choice, can I?_ Oh but you were Mike, you are, there's never been anyone else.

" _Michael Slattery… Prisoner of war…"_

Kara was coming towards her, her face stricken, and for the first time Rachel felt something other than sick, twisting fear and grief. She'd gone straight to Kara when Mike had stopped calling her, she'd trusted Kara's story about comms going down. She'd sat here like an idiot believing everything was fine…

She was on her feet, the flash of white hot rage giving her a surge of energy that propelled her right into Kara's path. "I asked you!" She shouted, her voice rising towards a scream, fury seeping through her like lava, "I asked you why he hadn't called me! I asked if everything was okay! And you lied! You fucking lied to me Kara!" The fog that had been swirling around her ever since she saw the footage was replaced with technicolour clarity. She could see the beads of sweat on Kara's forehead.

Kara was holding out her hands, her voice trembling. "I couldn't tell anyone! No-one! It was classified and-"

She couldn't hear it, didn't want to. The words were still spewing out of her like a terrifying volcano. "And your husband is just fine! Safe and well on the Nathan James, so fuck everyone else, fuck your so called friends, lie and lie like a good little girl!" She was too angry to register the hurt on Kara's face, too angry to notice that the room had fallen silent. Too angry to feel Tex's hands on her arms.

His voice was soft. "That's enough now, Doc."

But she wasn't done, she wasn't anywhere near done. "All of you!" She screamed at Kara, "Michener, you, Tom, all of you! Not one of you had the decency to-" Her thoughts stalled suddenly, and she lost her words, "To-" She tried again, but a new and terrifying idea had taken centre stage in her mind, driving out everything else as the clarity faded and the fog descended thicker than ever. "What if I never see him again?" It came out as a whisper, and then she fell, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, and then there was nothing at all.

"Come on, Doc. Rachel. Open your eyes for me, darlin'."

For a second she felt as though she was swimming up towards him, then she forced her eyes open and looked at Tex. "What happened?" And then she remembered, and it felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. But as she took a breath, she realised that the world was neither foggy nor technicolour any more. In a strange way, she felt normal again. Except for the crushing weight of knowing, finally accepting, that Mike was a prisoner of war.

"You had us worried for a second there." Tex was beside her, and she registered that she was lying on the floor, although there was a cushion under her head. "Doctor Patrick is on her way to check you over, but Ka- someone said it was probably your blood pressure. With the shock and all. But you'll be alright. I caught you before you hit the floor."

She swallowed and her hands went to her bump on instinct. "Sorry." She was speaking to the baby as much as to Tex. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, breathing deeply. The logical part of her brain processed and accepted the explanation for her fainting fit.

"You don't have to apologise for anything. It was a hell of a shock to me, and it's not my husband on that screen."

"He's not my husband." She said automatically, and the words stabbed her chest and filled her with a filthy feeling of regret.

"Sure he is." Tex looked right at her. "Way you two are? Sure he's your husband. That ain't about paperwork or fancy outfits. Now what say we get you up and onto the couch?"

"Where did everyone go?" Her voice sounded thready, and she hated it.

"I kicked 'em out. Figured you'd had enough of all that." He shrugged.

"I didn't let them in in the first place." She agreed, and to her surprise she managed a hint of a smile.

"That's my girl." Tex helped her to her feet. "Steady as she goes." He helped her to the couch and crouched in front of her. "I'm going to get you a glass of water, the doctor will check you over, then you can decide if you want me to stay here, or if you're staying at my place."

"Tex, you don't have to-" But she didn't really want to be alone.

"I do, actually." He took her hand, and it felt comforting. "I promised Mike. He practically made me swear on my life that I'd take care of you while he was gone. 'Cause he knows I love you. Not like that-" He added quickly, "You should be so lucky." She managed another smile and even almost laughed. "Like family, Doc, okay?"

"Okay." She whispered. Tex went to stand up, but she clung to his hand. She didn't want to ask, but she knew he'd tell her the truth. "What's going to happen to them?"

"Tom'll go in and get them out. That's what's going to happen. I'd go help, but I promised I wouldn't leave you alone."

"What if they're already-" She choked on the words.

He shook his head. "You saw for yourself, he's alive and he's strong. We lost Mason and that's a hell of a shame, but your man is coming home. Believe it, 'cause you got to. Okay? I know you hate them all right now, and god knows you've got good reason, but Tom, Danny, Kara, they all love you, and they love Mike, and we're all going to do our damnedest to get him home. I can promise you that."

She was terrified to let herself believe it. She'd learned when her mother died that hope could hurt you the most. But Tex was right, however angry she was, she knew that everyone would be trying to bring Mike and the others home. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let the hope in. And then she remembered the one person for whom any hope was gone.

"Where's Bertrise?"

"She's with Kara and Debby. You can see her later."

"He only got up the courage to ask her out just before they left. They only had one date." She felt her throat closing up. "Such a stupid waste."

Tex sighed. "I know. No other word for that. But you can worry about Bertrise tomorrow, you need to rest now, take care of yourself and the baby. Because your man is going to whup my ass if he gets home and you're not as healthy as can be. Okay?"

After the doctor had been, confirming everything was fine but reiterating the need to rest, Rachel curled up in bed and wrapped the blankets tightly around herself, trying to pretend it was Mike holding her. As the tears finally came, it was almost a relief, even as she struggled to breathe through her sobs. But then she remembered the last time she'd cried like this, when she'd found out she was pregnant, and the memory of Mike holding her so close, comforting her, and allowing her to comfort him in return, made her realise that if anything happened to him, her heart really would break. _No one is going to separate us because I will not let that happen_ , he'd said to her that night.

"Please Mike," She whispered into the darkness, "Please let that be true."


	29. A Few Minutes

_Author's note: This is a very short little chapter, but watching the first half of season 3 with this story in mind, I kept coming back to this idea._

 _Thank you to the unfeasibly large number of people who seem to be reading this story. And double thank you to those who have reviewed, followed or favourited._

 **Chapter 29 – A Few Minutes**

Mike only allowed himself a few minutes. Only at night, when the rest of them were asleep around him in the hut, just a few minutes of freedom from calculating, planning and taking care of his people. A few minutes respite from the horror of the situation, the trauma of the bloodletting and the pain in his body. A few minutes to clear his head, to think about the reason he had to get home, to bolster his sense of purpose for the hours ahead.

He started off by imagining her in his arms, the feel of her skin, the soft weight of her body curled up into his. The smell of her hair, the way it felt against his lips when he kissed the top of her head. The feel of her hand holding his tightly, and the feel of her belly under his other hand, the tight curve of her bump, their baby cradled under his palm. Then once he could almost feel it like she was there with him, he allowed himself to remember other things. Her laugh, the way she looked when she was concentrating, her terrible singing, and the exact sound and shape of the words when she said 'I love you'. And her naughty smile, the feel of her skin under his fingers, the taste of her, the way she clung to him when he was making love to her, the look in her eyes right before she exploded around him.

And then he pictured coming home to her, seeing her waiting for him as he stepped off the ship, her belly full and round with their baby, and how it would feel to hold her, the first things he would say to her - _I love you, I missed you, I'm never leaving you again_ \- and the moment he could take her face in his hands and kiss her.

And then finally he allowed himself to believe that he was back in their bed with her, that all of this was over, that he was home and secure with Rachel in his arms, their baby under his hand, and he willed himself to make it happen.

And then, if he was lucky, he slept. And then he woke, and planned, and protected, and survived, and worked through the day until he was back in those few minutes when he allowed himself to dream of home.


	30. Aftermath

_Author's note: This picks up right at the end of S3:E6, so in a sense contains spoilers for that episode. You have been warned!_

 _Thank you for the lovely reviews, especially for the last two chapters which were a little different! If you're one of the regular readers who hasn't reviewed yet, why not make my day and leave me one?_

 **Chapter 30 – Aftermath**

Mike leaned against the helo, trying to ignore the organised chaos behind him and concentrate on what Tom was saying. He was filled with a mixture of guilt and elation, and his body was still thrumming with adrenaline. Even though he knew perfectly well that he and the others had been rescued, and that they were back on the James, he couldn't find a way to let go of the hyper aware state he'd been existing in for so many days.

"What the hell's going on Tom?" He asked finally. The pirates, Peng, Tom being here in Asia, it was all as confusing as hell, and as hard as he tried to focus, his mind kept slipping away to somewhere else.

"That's what we're going to find out." Tom assured him. "Get some rest. When you're ready, ship's yours."

Tom went to walk away but Mike held up a hand to stop him. "The ship isn't mine." He managed a half smile as he looked up at his friend. "Never really was. I enjoyed my last hurrah while it lasted, but I belong in St Louis."

"With Rachel." Tom said, before Mike had to. "They're trying to get a secure line for you as we speak."

"Appreciate that." At the thought of speaking to her at last, the adrenaline surged again. "Have you talked to her?"

"She sent me a message." Tom hesitated. "We tried to keep it confidential, that you'd all been taken prisoner. Then Takehaya broadcast the video-"

Bile surged into Mike's throat and for a second he thought he was going to puke. "That's how she found out?"

"She wasn't too happy about it, as you'd imagine. I'd show you the email, but it's basically a string of curse words and some choice speculation about my parentage."

However inappropriate, Mike almost laughed. "That's my girl." He said, almost to himself. "I need to get home, Tom."

"We can work on it." Tom clapped a hand on his shoulder. "For now, I'll have someone come get you once we've got that line."

After an hour that felt more like six, Mike was finally putting on a headset in the corner of the CIC. It was uncomfortably public, even with crewmembers visibly doing their best to give him some space, and his mouth dried as he waited for the line to connect. He knew she was expecting the call, but he was still strangely nervous; misplaced guilt was churning in his stomach.

"Mike?" It was Rachel's voice, sounding higher and tighter than usual.

For a second he couldn't speak, then he managed to squeeze out the words. "It's me."

"Oh thank god, oh thank god, oh thank god." She was crying, and he tipped his head back, fighting tears of his own. He was torn between maintaining his stance as the captain in front of the crew, and letting himself be Rachel's almost-husband.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" He asked, picturing her there in their apartment, her hand clutched tight around the phone.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm- Are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you-" She was babbling and he was pretty sure she was still crying.

"I'm okay, I'm not hurt." He didn't need to tell her about the injuries or the bloodletting. One day, maybe, but not now. "I'm glad to be back on the ship." He recognised the formal edge to his tone, and chastised himself for it. This wasn't his command any more, it didn't matter what the crew heard. "It was bad." He said softly. "But it's over."

"I was so scared." She said, and for a few moments they were silent, the connection enough.

"Is the baby okay?" He asked, once he was confident he had his emotions back under control.

"Completely okay, really good." She paused. "I had the final scan, Doctor Patrick insisted."

He closed his eyes for a second, "I wanted to be there."

"I know." Her voice held such a weight of understanding that he almost lost it again. "But everything is good, healthy, perfect." She hesitated, "She could even see the sex."

"And?" He realised he was almost holding his breath, even though he genuinely didn't mind either way.

"I didn't want to know." She whispered, and he somehow knew she was stroking her bump. "Not without you there." He gritted his teeth as she continued. "But we have a very active, healthy baby who won't stop kicking me." She was laughing and crying again at the same time, and he finally let a tear run down his own cheek.

"Oh sweetheart." He wished against all logic and the laws of physics that he could travel through the line and hold her. "I wish I was there to feel it."

"So do I. We both miss you doing that."

"I thought of a name," He told her. "I was thinking about you both, every night-" He stopped himself. It was a story for another time. "Jamie, after the ship. Works for a boy or a girl."

"I love it." She said softly. "Jamie Slattery."

He swallowed. "What happened to the Scott?"

"I thought you were going to marry me?" There was just a hint of teasing in her tone, and the pain of missing her suddenly multiplied tenfold.

"Damn right." He affirmed. "Doctor Slattery."

"Well then come home and make good on that promise." Then the laughter disappeared as she added. "Please, Mike."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. I'll be there before our baby is born."

"Before Jamie is born." He heard the smile in her voice before she added, "I've missed you so much. I thought I might never-"

He interrupted before he had to hear her say it. "Rachel, there was no way in hell I wasn't going to make it back to you."

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Tom.

"I'm sorry but you need to wrap it up." The CNO said quietly, and Mike nodded.

"I have to go," He said to Rachel, "But I'm going to call you whenever I can, alright? Until I get home. And then I'm never going away again."

She paused for a second before replying. "Okay. I believe you."

"You should. I love you sweetheart, more than I can say." He closed his eyes and pictured her face.

"I love you too, please come home quickly." He could hear her holding back tears again.

"If I thought it'd help, I'd break out the oars." He managed a smile. She laughed a little, and he ended the call. He couldn't, wouldn't, say goodbye.

He removed the headset and dropped his head into his hands for a moment, fighting for control, before standing up to leave the CIC. Tom was standing by the door, and followed him out.

"You alright?" He asked.

Mike nodded. "Yeah."

"Rachel okay?"

"I don't know Tom, what do you think?" He suddenly felt unreasonably angry. "She's pregnant, alone, and thought I was probably dead. So no, probably not okay." As quickly as the anger has surged, it ebbed away again. "Sorry." He rubbed his face.

"You don't need to apologise." Tom sighed. "I will never forgive myself for putting you here. Don't think I'm not aware this is my fault."

Mike shook his head. "It's not your fault. I wanted to do it. Like I said, it was my last hurrah. But now I need to get home."

"I think I could help with that." It was the dark haired woman who'd been with Tom and the rescue party.

"Mike, this is Sasha Cooper." Tom introduced them.

Mike recognised the name immediately, then tried to keep his expression neutral as he shook Sasha's hand. "Nice to meet you." Then he couldn't resist adding, "Heard a few things about you over the years."

Sasha smirked just a little. "Well I've heard more than a few things about you in the last couple of weeks."

"Sasha hitched a ride from Hong Kong." Tom said, clearly trying to change the subject. "She's with Naval Intelligence, or was."

Mike nodded. "And you can get me home?"

"I hope so. If-" Sasha shot a glance at Tom. "I know pilots. With planes. Jesse, the helo pilot and I… It's a long story, but I think we could get you home. If Tom agrees."

"I'd need to hear a plan." Tom said slowly. "And if it's feasible, we'll do it."

Mike felt a rush of elation, then he felt a weight crash down on his chest. He took a deep breath, "The others should have the opportunity to go home if I do. If not," He added, though it felt like it might kill him, "I should stay. I was in command when it happened."

Tom looked him straight in the eye. "What the six of you have gone through, I couldn't blame any one of you for wanting to leave, but you've got more reason that most." He paused. "You should talk to them. But if Sasha and Jesse can make it work, I'm sending you home. Regardless of anyone or anything else." He half smiled. "I'll even order you if it makes you feel better."


	31. Back Where I Belong

_Author's note: So you can safely assume that from now until the end, this is entirely AU. Some of the events of season 3 still take place, some don't, but by this point the characters are in such different places in this story to where they are in the show (literally and metaphorically) that trying to stick close to the S3 storyline just doesn't work. You'll find out more on that in the next chapter, but first…_

 _As always, thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting._

 **Chapter 31 – Back Where I Belong**

As Mike quietly unlocked the door of the apartment and stepped inside, he felt a strong sense of déjà vu. The night that he'd returned from Norfolk after searching for Lissy simultaneously seemed liked years ago, and like it was yesterday. The key difference was, on that night he hadn't suddenly felt a gun barrel pressed against the side of his head.

"Stop right there, don't think I'm kidding." A familiar voice spoke in the darkness.

"Tex! It's me!" He protested.

The gun dropped and the light came on. Tex was staring at him like he'd seen a ghost, then suddenly the contractor was hugging him.

"XO! What in the hell are you doing here?"

Mike barely had time to clap Tex on the back in return before he'd disengaged. "I-"

"Mike?" It was a whisper, and his own voice vanished as he turned and saw Rachel standing there, her face pale, her eyes half closed against the light. She was wearing one of his sweatshirts, huge on her slim frame, but he could still see her bump pushing out the fabric. She took a step towards him and then started to cry, stumbling as he caught her in his arms and held her so tightly he could feel the hammering of her heart.

She was sobbing so hard she was struggling to stay on her feet, and he followed her to the floor, wrapping himself around her, his face buried in her hair. He dimly registered a hand briefly squeezing his shoulder and the sound of Tex leaving the apartment, but his attention was focused on the woman in his arms.

"It's okay, it's okay." He rocked her as she sat half in his lap, half on the floor. "It's okay. I'm back, it's okay."

Her sobs gradually diminished as he held her. "How? How did you..?" She was still clinging to him, her voice muffled against his chest.

"Thirteen different flights, six days, small planes. I've hopped back and forth across three continents to get here." The exhaustion was fighting the adrenaline. "It's a long story, but I'm home." He gently moved one hand to her belly, rubbing the bump that had grown exponentially since he'd been gone. He suddenly felt a sharp blow in the palm of his hand and gasped. "Was that-?"

Rachel gave a teary laugh, and looked up at him. "That was a kick. A big kick." She smiled, and even with her face pink and eyes swollen from crying, she looked beautiful to him. "A 'hello Dad' kick."

He moved his hand to her face, stroking her cheek and cupping her jaw, then he bent his head and kissed her. He meant it to be soft, gentle, but he'd underestimated the effect that it would have on him, and on her, and suddenly they were kissing deep and hard, tongues sliding against each other, his hand moving to the back of her head, keeping her close while he explored her mouth. He broke away, panting for breath, as it became overwhelming, and finally managed to say the words he'd envisaged over and over again during his captivity.

"Rachel, I love you, I missed you so much, I'm never leaving you again." His hand was on her face again, his eyes locked with hers.

"I still can't believe you're here." She reached up and ran her fingers along his jaw, his temple, tracing his cheek. "I'm scared I'm still dreaming."

He captured her hand in his and squeezed it. "I'm really here, I promise." And then he wrapped his arms around her again as she snuggled into his embrace.

"We should get off the floor." She said eventually. "We could-" She stopped and then laughed slightly. "We could go to bed. I mean, to sleep, or… If you wanted to-"

He nodded, kissing her hair. "I want to."

He helped her up, and followed her into the bedroom. He had to swallow down a lump in his throat when he saw she'd arranged her pillows into a vaguely human shape to cuddle against. She swept them quickly out of the way and turned to him, hesitating before she spoke.

"I kept dreaming you were here and then-"

"Don't." He interrupted quickly. "Please. I can't-" It was suddenly on the verge of being too much. Everything was completely familiar and completely strange at the same time. He was used to that feeling after coming home from deployment, but not like this, not to this extent.

She saw his face and took a swift step towards him, throwing her arms around him again. He held her close.

"I'm sorry." He said into her hair. "I'm so sorry."

It was her turn to say, "Don't." Her hand tightened on his back, "Don't you ever apologise. You didn't do this."

Then her hand slid down his back and she started to push up the dark sweater he was wearing. He hesitated for a second, then helped her, pulling it over his head before drawing her close again. He closed his eyes for a moment when her fingers found the fastenings of his pants, and gently took her hands in his.

"Wait." She looked up at him in confusion, and he quickly indicated his feet. "Boots."

He knelt to unlace and remove them, and she stroked his bare shoulder while he did so. As he came back to his feet, she pushed down his pants and boxers and he toed off his socks and kicked the clothing away.

"You look thin." She whispered, touching his chest. "You said you weren't hurt, but-"

"I'm not." He reassured her. "I'm fine. I promise." Rachel nodded, then he saw her swallow as she took a tiny step back, her hands at the hem of her sweatshirt, and for a moment he was reminded of the first time they'd slept together, when she'd taken off her shirt and asked him to touch her.

"Please." He whispered as she hesitated. "Let me see you."

She swallowed again, and lifted the sweatshirt over her head. She was wearing nothing underneath, and in the dim light from the hallway, he drank in the sight of her pale skin, breasts full from her pregnancy, and the tight, round bump of their baby.

"You're so beautiful." He managed, reaching out and pulling her back into his arms, feeling her soft, naked skin against his.

"I'm enormous." She whispered.

"You're perfect." He countered.

She looked up at him and half smiled. "You must be exhausted."

He nodded, finally letting himself feel it, as though her words had magically drawn all of the desperate energy of the last weeks out of him, and suddenly he could hardly stand.

"Come on." She took his hand in hers and led him to the bed. He lay down and she tucked in close to him, her bump between them as they lay facing each other.

"I do want to..." He tried to focus on her face, but his eyes were closing.

"I know." She whispered.

"Rachel..." He felt like he was looking at her from the end of a tunnel, her face getting somehow further away.

"It's okay." She whispered, and his eyes crashed shut.

He woke with a rush of adrenaline, for a moment convinced he was back in the camp. Then he registered the milky light coming through the window, the sheets under his body, and the sound of Rachel's breathing. He turned his head and saw her face, relaxed in sleep, and let out a long breath. He stroked a hand along her side and she murmured slightly. Then her eyes flew open and he saw her own moment of panic before she fixed on his face.

"I'm here." He said. "I'm here."

Her mouth curved into a smile, and he leaned in and kissed her slowly. As it had the night before, the kiss quickly became heated, and he pulled her as close as her bump would allow, letting one hand stray to her breast, cupping it softly and gently teasing her nipple.

"Oh Mike!" She moaned, pressing into his hand. She threw her leg over his as best she could, and he stroked her thigh, still kissing her, reaching between her legs and groaning into her mouth as he felt her hot, wet centre against his fingers. He wanted to roll her onto her back and push inside her, desperate to make love to her, but he wasn't sure if...

"Can we?" He asked, and she made a sound of frustration.

"Not on my back... Maybe... Like this..." She struggled slightly as she got to her knees, and he took the hint, moving onto his back and helping her to straddle him. He slipped his fingers back between her legs and gently stroked her sweet spot, as she lowered herself and slowly took him inside her.

He gasped at the feeling of her tight warmth around him, gritting his teeth as the sensation almost overwhelmed him. "Are you okay?" He managed, as she started to move slowly on him.

She moaned in response, her eyes locking onto his as she rocked her hips. "I missed this so much..."

The words make him groan, and he was already too close to losing it. "Rachel, I can't- You feel so-" And his whole body shuddered as he felt himself rapidly approaching the edge. "I'm sorry-" And then he shouted out and came, his eyes closing involuntarily as she squeezed him, pulling him even deeper as he lost himself inside her.

"It's okay." He felt her carefully lifting herself off of his body, and then her hand was on his face. "It's okay." She said again, and he opened his eyes.

Her beautiful eyes were looking straight into his, and he kissed her, then he lowered his head and kissed her breast, sucking her nipple. Her skin was soft under his tongue, and he relished the feeling of it as he kissed her belly, stroking her with his hands, before his head found its way between her legs and his tongue found her sweet spot as she moaned with pleasure. She was half on her side, her leg bent up to accommodate him, and he held her hips gently as he tongued her, feeling her tremble. He slid a finger inside her, crooking it slightly and feeling for the place that made her gasp. He felt as though he could happily drown in the taste of her, the feeling of her pressing against his mouth and fingers, and when he heard her cry out, felt her tense, shudder and come for him, it was almost too soon.

He stroked and kissed his way back up her body, taking time to caress her bump, and smiled as he saw her flushed face.

"I love you." He murmured, and then suddenly it was all coming out in a rush. "I thought about you every night in that place. You and the baby, you and Jamie. You got me home. You really did. You need to know that."

She touched his face. "Was it awful?" She asked quietly.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"You can tell me about it, if you want to. You really can."

"Maybe someday." He wasn't sure that he would ever want to, but he was aware that he might have to.

"The way I found out, seeing you like that…" She shuddered. "I said some terrible things. I was unforgivably horrible to Kara."

"I read your email to Tom." He said drily, "Or as you called him, 'lying bastard son of a bitch'?" He couldn't contain a smirk.

She snickered a little bit. "It turns out I'm not a very nice person when you're not here."

"Lucky I'm not going anywhere then."

She took his hand in hers. "You'd better not." She said softly.

He shook his head, his eyes never leaving hers. He pulled the blankets up to cover them both, "Not planning on leaving this bed anytime soon, let alone the apartment."

She started to smile. "Oh really?"

"Lot of sleep to catch up on. Amongst other things." He suddenly remembered something he'd wanted to tell her. "Hey, you'll never guess who's on the ship now. Sasha, Tom's Sasha. She's the one who masterminded my ride home."

Rachel's eyes narrowed, and he felt a surge of affection as he saw her gossip antenna come online. "The big love before Darien? The firecracker?"

"The very same. Hell of a woman."

"Are they…?" She was almost breathless with anticipation and it made him grin.

"He says not. I say it's only a matter of time." He shrugged. "If he's got any sense, that is. Got to be better than Kelly, at any rate." Rachel giggled, and he pulled her closer. "I missed this. Talking to you, laughing with you."

"I missed everything." She said with a smile.

"You know what I didn't miss?" He smirked. "Your cooking."

She looked puzzled for a second, "I don't cook-" Then she broke off and swatted him lightly. "Very funny. There's food, don't worry. Apparently some quaint American tradition dictates that if your husband's a POW, people have to bring you lasagne."

He started to laugh. "I love you sweetheart."

"I love free lasagne." She smiled at him. "And you. I love you even more than free food."

"Good to know. Very good to know." He kissed her, grinned, and dropped his head back onto the pillow. "So, lasagne for breakfast…?"


	32. Miracles

_Author's note: So this story is now hurtling towards the end, as this is the official last chapter, then just a two part epilogue to follow. Don't worry though, I'm not abandoning this little universe, and a Tom-centred spin off is in the works!_

 _Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, following, favouriting, and basically supporting this story. I really appreciate it, and I love that people have embraced this unusual pairing!_

 **Chapter 32 – Miracles**

When Mike thought back to the night that he'd made it home and the two days that followed, wrapped up with Rachel, reaffirming their relationship with hours of talking, passionate lovemaking, and a lot of lasagne, he saw it as the calm before the storm that the next six weeks had brought.

It had started with the failed coup attempt by Allison Shaw, after President Michener's tragic suicide. He didn't like to think what would have happened if Kara Green hadn't worked it out in time to stop Shaw leaking further information to Peng. He'd interrogated Shaw and her co-conspirators himself on the orders of President Oliver, and although it had answered many of the questions about the events in Asia and at home, nothing could undo the genocide in Japan.

Rachel's team at the lab was working hard on an antidote for the effects of the 'green mist', and Tom was coordinating Naval operations from the bridge of the Nathan James, as the US Navy tried to help restore order to the chaos of the Asian region, and to bring Peng to justice.

Mike's unofficial role supporting the Naval operations in Asia from the White House had swiftly been formalised as Vice CNO, and he was working out of Tom's office until the James made it back from Asia - or at least Tom did. Mike couldn't help wondering if part of Tom's determination to stay on board the ship had to do with his increasingly close working relationship with Sasha Cooper, whose Naval Intelligence background and language skills were proving invaluable.

For all of the drama and difficulty of the last six weeks, there had been good moments too. He'd welcomed a heartbroken but resilient Bertrise to the training camp, setting her on the path to becoming a hospital corpsman. With the signal that had been blocking video communications to the James removed, Danny Green had finally been able to see his son, and Mike had been privy to the moment that Kara presented Frankie to his father, as she'd borrowed his office to make the call.

Best of all was a visit from Debby, Kara's mom, to tell him that his daughter Lissy had got in touch with her. She wasn't ready to see him, or travel to St Louis, but Debby reassured him that she was with good people in Norfolk, the same ones who had, along with Debby, taken care of her after the death of her mother and younger siblings. His first instinct had been to fly straight there and track her down, but Rachel and Debby had helped him to realise that that wasn't the way to go about it. She was alive, that was what mattered. And hopefully one day she'd be ready to see him, to become part of a family again, but for now, the fact that she was alive was enough.

Although he and Rachel had originally planned to get married as soon as he'd returned to St Louis, there just hadn't been a moment that felt right, and for all that they'd discussed a quick ceremony in front of the judge, as time had gone on they'd both admitted – to themselves as much as each other – that it would be nice to mark the occasion with something a little more celebratory, though Rachel drew the line at the traditional arch of swords.

On that basis, they were waiting until the James made it back from Asia and, of course, until after the baby was born, something Mike was anticipating with a mixture of excitement and dread. Excitement at meeting their son or daughter, but dread at the prospect of being in the room for the main event – something Rachel insisted on – as the prospect of seeing her in that much pain, let alone witnessing the mechanics of it all, made him break out in a cold sweat every time he thought about it.

Seven weeks to the day after his return from Asia, he was in his office, trying to focus on performance reports for the recruits at the training camp, when Kara knocked tentatively at the door.

"What do you need, Commander?" He asked, gesturing her to enter.

"I need a change of scenery." Kara looked tired. Mike knew that she was worried about Danny, and although she and Rachel had talked and made tentative peace, he suspected she also still felt a distance from some of her former crewmates, who saw her as having taken sides with the Oval Office over the kidnapping.

"You want something to drink? Coffee?"

Kara shook her head. "Honestly? I think I want out of my job. I wouldn't go back to sea, not with Frankie, but I really don't think politics is for me." She paused. "Sir, I was wondering – if you could use me at the training camp?"

Mike thought about it for a moment. "We can use more personnel everywhere." He replied honestly. "If you want to be reassigned, you'd need to discuss it with the CNO. No guarantees."

Kara wilted slightly. "Of course. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be trying to call in favours, especially not after-"

He interrupted her. "You need to let it go, Kara. We all make choices. You made a call, it backfired with some people. They'll get over it."

"Will they?" She smiled sadly. "It doesn't feel like I have many friends right now."

He sighed. "It'll take time. If they knew what you'd done in uncovering Shaw's plans, I'm sure they'd think differently, but we both know why that can never get out."

Kara nodded. "Absolutely. People need to believe the government is dependable, especially after President Michener…"

"I'll speak to Tom," He decided, "Put in a word about you being assigned to training. I could use you, that's for sure."

"Thank you, sir." Kara looked slightly happier, and he was glad.

His cell phone rang, and he shot an apologetic look at Kara before picking up. "Slattery."

"It's me!" Rachel sounded as though she was panting for breath.

"What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Well, my contractions are seven minutes apart and starting to hurt like hell, so I think we should probably go to the hospital."

"Wait – you're having the baby?"

"Yes!" There was an edge of incredulous laughter to her voice. "So get over here, now!"

After that, it all seemed to happen very quickly. By the time he arrived at Rachel's lab and got her to the hospital, her contractions were five minutes apart and Doctor Patrick initially said it would be a while. But in the event, the baby seemed to be in a hurry, because a short while later Rachel was 'approaching ten centimetres', whatever that meant – he really didn't want to know – and screaming blue murder.

"You did this to me, you utter, sodding bastard!" She yowled, her knuckles white as she clutched the rail at the end of the bed. She was on her knees, clad in only an oversized t-shirt – one of his, as usual – and drenched in sweat. He tried to wipe her face with a cold cloth as instructed by the doctor, but she swiped his hand away. "I swear to god, if you ever come near me again I'll – owwwwwwwww – I'll cut off your – owwwwwww!"

"Nearly there now, Rachel." Doctor Patrick said from between Rachel's legs, seeming undisturbed by her cries. "Ready to start pushing?"

Rachel muttered something that sounded like "You try fucking pushing," But Mike saw her screw her face up as she obeyed. He felt utterly powerless, which was something he'd rarely felt before and fervently hoped to never feel again. Suddenly her eyes flew open and met his, and she looked terrified as she yelled out again.

"It's okay," He put his hand over hers on the bed rail, and she grabbed it, squeezing so tight he almost wanted to yell himself. "It's okay."

"It huuuuuuurts!" She yelled this time, and he stroked his other hand over her sweat-dampened hair.

"I can see the head." Doctor Patrick said calmly. "You're doing beautifully Rachel, couple more pushes for me. If Dad wants to see the baby being born, now's the time to come down here."

Rachel lurched and flung her arms around Mike's chest, pulling him against the bed rail as he held her up as best he could, managing even through his concern for her to feel just a tiny bit relieved that he was staying at this end of the bed.

"Noooooooo!"

"One more push, come on!"

Rachel yelled once more, a yowl that seemed to last forever as he supported her in his arms, feeling her whole body straining, and then suddenly she went limp and he heard a high, thin wail that for a moment he thought was coming from her, then realised was coming from their baby.

Rachel managed to raise her head at the sound, and he looked down at her flushed, sweaty face and felt an enormous surge of tenderness.

"You did it." He whispered.

"You've got a beautiful little boy." Doctor Patrick said, and after a few moments she presented their tiny, red faced baby, swaddled in a sheet and wailing crossly. Mike didn't have words as he took in the screwed up little face, fighting the same tears that were already running down Rachel's cheeks. He supported her as she reached out and took the baby from the doctor.

"Hello." She was laughing through her tears. "Hello, Jamie."

Mike swallowed hard, kissing Rachel's head as he stared down at their son. He knew that if he tried to speak right then, he'd be the third member of the family to start crying.

"How about we let Dad have a hold while we finish up with you?" The doctor suggested, and Rachel nodded.

Mike decided against asking what 'finishing up' involved, as the doctor took Jamie from Rachel's arms and placed him in his. His son felt almost weightless, and was terrifyingly small.

"Hey there." He tried. Tiny eyelids fluttered open a fraction, and he swallowed as he looked down into Jamie's eyes. "Look at you."

He glanced over at Rachel, whose eyes were fixed on the two of them as Doctor Patrick attended to whatever needed doing between her legs. The look on her face made his eyes prickle.

"Look what we made." She whispered, and all he could do was nod as he looked back down at his son.

Since everything had gone smoothly, the doctor saw no reason for them to stay in hospital overnight, so Mike had driven them home extremely carefully, and helped Rachel settle into bed with Jamie beside her in the brand new crib that Tex had acquired from somewhere. She fell asleep almost immediately after feeding the baby, who did likewise, but Mike was too wired to sleep. He sat propped against the headboard, his eyes moving between Rachel and Jamie, still not quite able to believe that their son was here. If he was honest, he couldn't quite believe that any of this had happened at all. Little more than a year ago, he'd been in the Arctic on what was supposed to be a routine mission, and then the world had gone crazy. And then somewhere in the midst of it all, he and Rachel had fallen in love.

He saw that Jamie's eyes had opened a crack again, although he wasn't crying. Moving very carefully so as not to disturb Rachel, he slid out of bed and catfooted round to the crib, gently lifting his son into his arms. He was wearing only his boxers, and remembering something Doctor Patrick had said about skin to skin contact, he laid the baby against his bare chest as he walked towards the window, cradling Jamie's head gently with his hand.

"Somewhere out there," He whispered, "Is your ship. With your Uncle Tom, and a whole bunch of people who are going to help your mom and I protect you." He stroked Jamie's head very gently with one finger. "You wouldn't be here without that ship. Your mom needed it to save the world, and I was along for the ride."

"And then what happened?" Rachel's voice was groggy from sleep, but he could still hear a smile in it.

"Well," He continued, still directing the story to the baby in his arms as he crossed back to the bed and carefully sat down next to Rachel, "Your mom had a really hard job, and one day she was upset and asked me to… look after her." He ignored the slight snigger from Rachel. "And I thought it was important that I took care of her, so that she could look after everybody and make them better, but then I realised I really liked taking care of her."

"And I liked having Daddy take care of me." Rachel chipped in, reaching out and touching Jamie's tiny hand, and they both fell silent for a moment as they watch his fingers splay like a starfish. Their eyes met over Jamie's head, and Rachel smiled. "And then you happened."

Mike carefully leaned in, still protecting the baby's head, and kissed her softly. "You were incredible today."

"You know how they say you forget the pain?" She asked.

"Okay…"

"Well it's a lie. I still remember exactly how much it hurt." She reached out her arms and Mike handed Jamie over to her. "But I think it might have been worth it." She rocked the baby a little, and Mike wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Are you really going to cut off my balls if I come near you again?" He asked.

She gurgled with laughter. "Oh god, did I say that?! No, probably not."

"Thank god." He pretended to wipe his brow. "I was worried." He grinned at her and she laughed again.

"From a clinical perspective, I know that we aren't going to feel this euphoric for long, but… Oh, just look at him!"

And they both feel silent again, gazing at their son, a tiny, unexpected, accidental miracle.


	33. Epilogue Pt1 - To Have and to Hold

_Author's note: So originally I had planned to end this story with Jamie being born, but then I decided I wanted to wrap everything up a little more neatly, and pave the way for a spin off… Also, I had a couple of wicked wedding ideas that I couldn't let go of!_

 _Thank you for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting, and for supporting this increasingly AU story as we've gone along! No beloved characters getting killed off in my world…_

 **Epilogue Part One – To Have and to Hold**

 _Six months later…_

Mike wiped a bead of nervous sweat from his brow, and recommenced pacing the living room.

"Where are they?" He asked for the fifth time.

Tom sighed, shifting slightly in his chair. "They're barely even late."

"Helpful, thanks." Mike snapped.

"That's what your Best Man is for…" Tom tried to make him smile, but Mike was too tense to respond.

"We've only got two hours before the ceremony." He pointed out.

"I know."

"And we need time to change, and get to the mansion."

"Mike, it's going to be fine." Tom reassured him. "She said she wanted to see you before the ceremony, but you're going to have plenty of time afterwards to talk more. Hell, she's moving here, you've got years if you need them."

Mike finally stopped pacing. "But I haven't seen her since before the Arctic."

"You've spoken to her." Tom reminded him. "And she's your daughter, she wants to come to your wedding, it's going to be fine."

Mike dropped into an armchair and rubbed his face. His relationship with Lissy had been rebuilt slowly and painstakingly over the past six months, beginning with reports via Debby, progressing to emails, and then finally to phone conversations. There had been tentative steps forward followed by huge steps back, the biggest being when Mike had told her about his relationship with Rachel, and about their son, Jamie. Being the eldest had meant she'd known very well – too well – that her parents' relationship had been heading for divorce, but that still didn't make it easy to be confronted with her father's new family. He'd feared that she would disappear again completely after that conversation, but gradually she'd come to accept it.

It had almost killed him to take things as slowly as they had. Time and time again he'd been on the verge of jumping on a plane to Norfolk and forcing her to speak to him face to face, but Rachel had always been able to talk him out of it. And now Lissy was coming to St Louis of her own accord, not only to see him, but to attend his and Rachel's wedding.

There was finally a knock on the front door, and Mike leapt up to go and open it. Debby was in front, and she gave him a slightly tight smile as she ushered the two teenagers behind her into the apartment.

"Hi Dad." Lissy's voice was almost a whisper, and Mike found his own words deserting him completely as he looked at her. She was taller than he remembered, older of course, and her dark hair had been cut into a long bob that sat on her shoulders. But he could still see the little girl who used to snuggle up to him on the sofa and demand he read to her.

"Hi honey." He managed. There was an awkward pause and he almost reached out to hug her, but then she turned to the tall boy in Army BDUs beside her.

"This is Aaron."

"Hello sir." Aaron held out his hand, and Mike shook it, reminding himself that he had Aaron to thank for getting Lissy back in touch with him, even if the idea of his daughter having an eighteen year old boyfriend wasn't one he was particularly happy about. Lissy had explained in a long email that Aaron had effectively rescued her from the Immunes, helping her to see the truth of their movement, and been the one to bring her back to Norfolk.

"Shall I make coffee?" Debby hovered awkwardly.

"No, it's okay. I mean, you must have stuff to do for the wedding." Lissy was almost gabbling, and Mike remembered that she was nervous too. "I just- We just- I thought it would be good to see you before…" She trailed off and bit her lip, and suddenly she flung herself at him, and Mike found himself hugging his daughter so tight she could probably hardly breathe.

"I'm so sorry." He said into her hair. "I'm so sorry."

After a long moment, Lissy relaxed her grip on him a little and looked up, her eyes glistening. "You said that already, a lot. It's okay."

"But-"

She shook her head to silence him. "I told you, Aaron really helped me understand why you couldn't be there. What you were doing was important, it is important. I understand that now." She paused. "I mean, I miss Mom and Katy and Lucas so much, but… It happened to everyone. Not just us."

Mike swallowed. "Yeah, it did." It was a conversation they'd had before, in bits and pieces, over the past six months; but to be here, looking at her, seeing his smart, grown up daughter in front of him, added a whole new dimension.

"And Doctor Scott – Rachel – and you, and Uncle Tom, you saved everyone."

"That was all Rachel." Tom said from the living room doorway. "Your dad and I were just along for the ride."

Across the hallway in Tex's apartment, Rachel was pacing.

"How do you think it's going? Should I go over there?"

"I'm sure it's going fine." Tex shook his head, a half smile on his face as he looked up at her from his chair. "And no, you shouldn't go over there. You should start getting ready."

Rachel bit her lip, afraid to say what she was really worried about. The last six months had been a rollercoaster, and although there had been triumphs – finding a cure for the effects of Peng's green mist, welcoming home the crew of the James at last – she'd found parenthood harder than she'd ever expected, and she'd expected it to be bloody hard. The total lack of control was almost as difficult to deal with as the overwhelming love, and there had been times she felt like running away; not that she ever would. She and Mike had managed to forge a way through it, and there were increasingly times when she was really happy, but there were also times when a tiny voice inside her reminded her that she probably couldn't manage this, probably didn't deserve it either.

Tex's voice broke into her thoughts. "You know, Doc, just in case you were worrying, which I'm sure you wouldn't be, there is no way that man over there is having second thoughts. Or changing his mind. Or climbing out the window. Okay?"

Despite herself, Rachel managed to laugh. It was uncanny how Tex could read her mind sometimes. "I wasn't thinking that at all." She lied.

"Well that's alright then." He winked, and she finally started to relax just a little bit.

"Maybe I should start getting ready." She conceded.

"Yes, you should, and as your Maid of Honour, so should I."

She laughed again. "You know we really don't have to use that title?"

Once Debby had taken Lissy and Aaron back to the hotel to change for the wedding, Mike and Tom were able to get their own dress uniforms on. The ceremony was going to be a reasonably simple one, just one person standing up for each of them, but the invitation list had just kept growing. Pretty much the entire crew of the James, past and present, all of the scientists from Rachel's ever-growing lab, half of the White House staff and a fair few members of the new government. As Mike fastened his jacket with slightly shaking fingers, he wondered – not for the first time – if they would have been better to have had a quick ceremony in front of a judge right after he'd returned from Asia.

"You ready?" Tom stood in the doorway, immaculate in his whites, and Mike suddenly remembered Tom's own wedding, the two of them standing outside the church, dressed just like this, the same nervous excitement on Tom's face that he suspected was now on his own.

"I'm ready." He picked up his cap and took a last look in the mirror. "More than ready. You got the rings?"

"Right here." Tom patted his pocket, then visibly hesitated before adding, "Remember when this was the other way around?"

"I was just thinking about that." Mike confirmed. "It was a good day."

"It was." Tom smiled slightly. "Darien looked so beautiful coming down that aisle. I'll never forget that."

"And you looked green with nerves."

Tom laughed. "Probably true. You're looking just a little green yourself right now."

"No nerves here." Mike said firmly, and not quite truthfully.

Tom looked sceptical, "So no part of you is wishing you'd just got it over with at city hall?"

Mike laughed wryly. "Alright, that thought might have crossed my mind." He paused, "But as long as I get to marry Rachel, I don't much care how that happens." As he said it, he realised it was true, and the nerves vanished.

"Rachel? You decent?" Tex rapped on the door, and Rachel took a deep breath as she took one last look in the mirror. The dress was the very palest pink, only a shade away from white, and clung lightly to her figure. It was undeniably a wedding dress, but it was as far from the dreaded meringue as you could get. Her hair was loose down her back, her make up light.

"You're still you." She whispered to her reflection, and tried not to wish she was wearing her trusty jeans. "I'm decent." She called back to Tex.

He pushed the door open and they both stared at each other for a moment before Rachel burst out laughing.

"Seriously?!" She asked, "Seriously?"

"What?" Tex grinned and did a slow twirl. "Not a suitable outfit for the Maid of Honour?"

He was wearing a suit, beautifully cut with a waistcoat under the jacket, his hair brushed and tied back neatly for once, and if it weren't for the fact that the suit was bright pink, he would have looked very traditional.

"It's…" Rachel was still spluttering with laughter, "It's magnificent!"

"Well thank you, Doc." His eyes twnkled. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Really?" She was worried that her voice betrayed a hint of her insecurity.

"Really." He confirmed. "Honestly Rachel, you look perfect." She smiled, and he held out a hand. "Shall we?"

"I swear this place is bigger than I remember." Mike hissed out of the corner of his mouth to Tom, as they stood side by side at the front of the room. Behind them, rows of chairs seemed to stretch into infinity, all of them filled with chattering guests.

"You're imagining it." Tom was craning his head, apparently searching the crowd.

Mike smirked slightly. "Looking for someone?"

"No, just looking around." Tom continued to scan the faces.

"Fifth row from the front, over on the left." Mike supplied, and saw Tom lock eyes on Sasha Cooper, his face visibly relaxing slightly, before he shot a glance at Mike.

"I wasn't looking for her." He said, his tone a little defensive.

"Of course not." Mike pressed his lips together to contain his smirk.

"Okay, it's showtime." Tex offered Rachel his arm as they stood in front of the double doors into what had once been a ballroom, and today was their wedding venue.

She took a deep breath, smoothed the skirt of her dress once more, and took Tex's arm. "Okay."

Two attendants threw open the doors, and the music started, but Rachel's eyes had already settled on Mike, and at the sight of him, she was finally able to let out a long breath and relax. He was here, and by the grin on his face, he wasn't planning on changing his mind about all this.

She knew it was probably rude not to glance around and acknowledge the guests, but her eyes were fixed on Mike's, and she didn't want to look away. As they finally reached the front of the room, Tex squeezed her hand and stepped back as Mike reached for her.

"You look beautiful." He said softly, taking both of her hands in his.

She smiled, and swallowed, suddenly scared she was going to cry. "Hi." She managed.

His smile widened a little, "It's okay. Fifteen minutes and we're out of here."

She found herself laughing, the tears receding, and then heard a familiar gurgle. Turning, she saw Jamie sitting on Kathleen's lap in the front row, his little hand waving at her with the pretty teenager's help.

She turned back to Mike and smiled. "Okay, let's do this."


	34. Epilogue Pt2 - From This Day Forward

_Author's note: So this really is the end of the story, but this universe will continue in a spin off Tom and Sasha story, coming soon!_

 _Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. Given that this story started as a one shot and is finishing 60,000 words later, it really is fair to say that that wouldn't have happened without all of the lovely support, particularly from the ladies of the Writer's Block Party._

 _Finally, throughout the writing of this story, I shamelessly stole lines and lifted military expertise from the serviceman in my life (all errors are my own), and all he asked in return was for Tex to wear a pink suit to the wedding. Sounded like a very fair deal to me._

 **Epilogue Part 2 – From This Day Forward**

Mike kept a very tight hold of Rachel's hand as they walked out into the sunshine as husband and wife. He had to keep looking over at her to reassure himself that it had really happened, then reflected that he'd been doing that since the very start of their relationship.

She met his eyes and smiled. "Okay, Captain Slattery?"

He smiled back, "Just fine, Doctor Slattery."

"I could be Mrs." She said softly, "Just for today."

"Okay, Mrs Slattery." He pulled her close and kissed her, and the guests pouring out onto the lawn whooped and clapped.

Originally they'd planned to hold the reception inside, but the good weather had held, and the lawn of the old mansion, which was now formally military headquarters but had been repurposed for the day, was the perfect venue for an outdoor party.

A grinning Bernie Cowley, relieved from his duties as White House head chef to attend the wedding, approached them both with glasses of champagne.

"Congratulations sir, ma'am."

"Thank you Bacon." Rachel reached up and kissed his cheek. "You have to save me a dance later."

Mike grinned as the big man blushed and nodded. "It would be my honour ma'am."

"Where's Jamie?" Rachel asked, turning to scan the lawn.

"There." Mike pointed. "Kat's got him." Then his mouth dried as he saw that Tex's daughter had been joined by Lissy and Aaron. He watched as his daughter tentatively reached out a hand and let Jamie wrap his chubby fist around her finger.

Rachel squeezed his hand. "We'll leave him over there for a little bit then."

It turned out to be a lot longer than that, as every guest seemed to want to speak to them, congratulate them, and in many cases catch up on news and changes. There was definitely food being passed around, but somehow none of it ever seemed to get as far as the bride and groom, until Mike grabbed a passing Danny and begged him to grab them a tray.

He'd barely got a canapé into his mouth before he heard a chinking of glass, and turned to see Tex stood on a chair in the centre of the lawn, resplendent in his bright pink suit.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Tex said, "I am very aware that the bride and groom didn't want any speeches, but I'm afraid the Best Man and I respectfully-" He doffed an imaginary cap towards Mike and Rachel, "-disagree. But we do promise to keep it short."

Mike glanced at Rachel. "You want me to wrestle him off that chair?" He asked quietly, and she laughed slightly and shook her head.

"As the Maid of Honour," Tex continued, "I want to talk about Doctor Rachel Slattery." He looked around the lawn, then smiled at Rachel. "I don't want to talk about her achievements in curing the virus, we all know about that; we're standing here today because of it. I want to talk about my friend Rachel, who is as sweet as she is determined, and as caring as she is brave."

Mike felt Rachel squeeze his hand tighter, and out of the corner of his eye he could see hers filling with tears. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead, drawing her close.

"I'm a lucky man to have a friend like her," Tex smiled, "And her new husband is a very lucky man. But as I want her to keep being my friend, I'm not going to say any more to make her face get even redder, so I'll just ask you all to raise your glasses to the beautiful bride!"

Mike took a gulp of champagne and kissed Rachel's hair as she hid her face against his shoulder for a second. He looked back towards Tex to see that he had been replaced on the chair by Tom. "Uh oh," He muttered, and felt Rachel smile against his shoulder before she raised her head to watch.

"Mike was Best Man at my wedding," Tom began, "And in fine tradition, he told a couple of embarrassing stories about me to make everybody laugh. But while I could tell you about the time he was so drunk he snuck back on board the wrong ship-" The crowd laughed, and Mike cringed a little, "Or the time we had food poisoning in Macao, and the resultant laundry bill-"

Rachel was sniggering and Mike managed a wry smile of his own at the memory.

"-I would rather take this opportunity to thank him for always having my back. From the first day we met, right through everything that has happened, he's always been the person I can rely on. My best friend, my XO, and now Vice CNO of the US Navy." Tom paused, "And I don't know how I would have got through the last year without his counsel, and his friendship."

Mike swallowed, and felt Rachel press closer to him.

"And so I am very happy today," Tom continued, "To see Mike marry Rachel, because these two strong, determined people are as right for each other as two people can be." He paused again. "And so please raise your glasses to Captain and Doctor Slattery!" And he and Mike locked eyes as Tom drank the toast.

Much later, when the champagne was starting to run dry, the high heeled shoes had been kicked off in favour of dancing barefoot, and the singing of Navy songs had begun, Mike cornered Tom at the edge of the open air dancefloor.

"You going to do something about that?" He asked, tipping his chin towards Sasha Cooper, stunning in a long red dress as she chatted to Kara and Alisha.

"Sasha and I are friends, and colleagues." Tom said a little too firmly.

Mike snorted. "Sure you are. You forget, I knew you when you were still hung up on her."

"And I moved on. To my wife. Who I lost barely a year ago." But Tom's eyes were still on Sasha.

"I know." Mike paused, but decided to plough on. "It's not exactly been a normal year though. And things aren't going to settle down for a long time, if at all."

Tom sighed. "You saw what happened with Kelly. I'm not ready. I'm nowhere near ready."

"Sasha's not Kelly. And you can't tell me you two haven't been getting close." Mike countered.

"We're old friends." Tom repeated. "That's all."

Mike found himself echoing words Jeter had said to him about himself and Rachel, "Happiness is in short supply these days. If you can find some with Sasha, you should. Plus, if you don't, someone else will."

"What do you mean?" Tom whipped his head round to stare at him.

"Come on, Tom. She's smart, beautiful, you want to count how many men are looking at her as we speak?" Mike decided he'd said enough for now. "And while you think about that, I need you to perform a final Best Man duty for me: say goodbye to everyone for us." He looked over at Rachel, who was dancing with Tex and Kathleen, Jamie in her arms. "I want to take my wife home and make the most of having a baby-free apartment for the night."

Rachel was giggling as she and Mike escaped the party through the kitchen entrance, and he realised she'd had more than a little champagne.

"I'm fine!" She protested, laughing up at him as he caught her hand. "It's my wedding! I'm allowed to celebrate!"

"Of course you are." He pulled her close and kissed her. "As long as you're not going to fall asleep on me."

She smiled that naughty smile he loved. "Not until later. Much later."

Back at their apartment building, Mike insisted on sweeping Rachel into his arms and carrying her over the threshold, and then decided to carry her up the stairs and into their apartment as well, just to be on the safe side. By the time they reached the bedroom, they were both helpless with laughter, Mike trying to disguise being slightly out of breath, and when he dropped Rachel onto the bed she immediately bounced upright again.

"I need to take this dress off, can't do it lying down."

He was still laughing as he helped her with the hidden zip at the side, but as the dress dropped to pool around her feet, the laughter died in his throat. She was wearing a bra and matching panties in the same pale pink shade as her dress, so sheer and filmy he wondered for a second why she'd bothered at all, before realising that that was the whole point.

"Last time you were wearing that uniform," She said softly, visibly enjoying his reaction, "You didn't even get your shoes off before you jumped on me."

He found his voice, "Last time I was wearing this uniform, you took advantage of me." He smirked slightly, "I'm not letting that happen a second time." He unbuttoned his jacket and started to remove the rest of his clothing, not taking his eyes from her, letting her see his gaze moving over her body. She squirmed slightly.

"Stop staring."

"If you didn't want to be stared at, you shouldn't have worn that underwear."

Once he was down to his boxers, he reached for her, pulling her close and kissing her slowly before lifting her into his arms again, making her laugh with surprise.

"Where are we going?"

"Nowhere." He kissed her again, then dropped her gently onto the bed before climbing on beside her. "I love you, Mrs Slattery." She gasped a little, her pupils dilating. He loved the visible effect the words had on her.

"I love you too, Captain Slattery." She breathed, before pulling his head down for another kiss.

They'd made love since Jamie had been born, of course, but all too often it had been hurried, or interrupted by his cries. Tonight there was no need to rush, and no chance of any interruption. For a while they revelled in being able to just lay and kiss, touch, hold each other, but as the kisses became more heated, and Rachel started to whimper slightly into his mouth, Mike reached behind her and undid her bra, pulling it away before dropping his head to kiss her breasts, feeling her fingers push into his hair as he licked and sucked and very gently nibbled, enjoying her soft gasps and moans.

He'd almost forgotten how good it felt to take his time, to explore her, to listen to the noises she made and feel her body arching into his touch. He trailed kisses across her stomach as his hands found her panties and dragged them gently down her legs.

"Now!" She begged, "Please!"

He shook his head slightly, before burying it between her legs, his tongue seeking out her sweet spot as she cried out. Tasting her, feeling how wet she was when he slid his fingers inside her, was almost enough to make him lose control, but he held out until she was writhing under his tongue, whispering softly.

"Please… Please…"

He moved back up her body, feeling her legs wrap around his waist as she lifted her hips to try to find contact, and he met her eyes as he finally pushed slowly into her. He groaned at the feeling of her slick and tight around him, and she answered with a moan as he filled her.

"Rachel…" He managed, before giving in to his need to kiss her, pull her even tighter into his arms, moving slowly inside her as she wrapped her arms around his back, her legs still around his waist, as they rocked together.

He could feel her getting close, and with the last of his self-control, drew his head back just enough to look into her eyes as she trembled and then exploded, her head tipping back, his name coming from her lips in a gasp, and then he was following her over the edge, still holding her tight, groaning into her ear, "I love you…"

Later, they lay in each other's arms, the moonlight painting their bodies silver as Mike stroked Rachel's hair, listening to her breathing slow as she teetered on the verge of sleep.

"Today was a really good day." He murmured.

"Mm hmm." She agreed sleepily.

"We got married."

She must have caught the faintly incredulous tone, because she raised her head from his shoulder. "Yes, we did."

"I just- Sometimes all of this still feels like a dream. The virus, what happened…" He trailed off, looking into the warmth of her eyes.

"I know." She snuggled back into his shoulder. "But it's real. All of it. This most of all."

He tucked his arms tighter around her. "What do you think is going to happen next?" He asked softly.

She was silent for a moment, then she laughed slightly. "I have absolutely no idea."

 **The End**


End file.
